Registered In Heaven

Don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven. . . . No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Luke 10:20, 22

JESUS HAD SENT THE SEVENTY-TWO disciples out for ministry, and they returned amazed by the supernatural power they experienced. They commanded demons to depart, and the demons obeyed! Jesus assured them that this was just the beginning of the defeat of the devil that they would get to be a part of. But then he gave them a sense of perspective regarding the thrill they felt from what God had done through them. There was something that should provide them with an even greater sense of joy —the security of having their names written on the register in heaven that lists all of those who will live in God’s presence forever.

Jesus looked up and expressed joy and thankfulness to his Father for revealing the mystery of his Kingdom and Satan’s ultimate defeat to the disciples with their childlike faith. And then he turned to the disciples and told them that they were blessed because they were being given eyes to see the person of Jesus and ears to hear the call of Jesus. Although the Old Testament prophets wrote about the coming Messiah and his Kingdom, they only saw it in shadows. Jesus was celebrating that his disciples were beginning to see him for who he was and embrace his Kingdom for all it would be.

And this is what we so desperately want for our children. We long to peer into that registry in heaven and be assured that our children’s names are there. We want them to have eyes that are open to seeing Jesus. And we realize that “no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” So we want to pray that Jesus will reveal himself to our children!

Lord, I’m well aware that no one deserves to have his or her name registered in your holy presence. But you are gracious. Lord, would you extend your grace to ________ by revealing yourself to her? Would you give ________ the joy of seeing your goodness, hearing your Word, and being used by you in this dark world to restrain the forces of evil? I thank you, Father, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.