God’s world seems in chaos and anarchy at present but it was not always so and it is not God’s intention for it to remain so. ‘God’s World’ happens to be the title of the very first book we produced for reading to 3-4 year olds and is part of a boxed set of 8 books especially showing youngsters how ordered God is. Even when things went wrong at the beginning, God had an ordered plan to redeem mankind from the grips of their wrong choices by sending his one and only Son, Jesus, to get us back on track. God has a habit of working everything for good – see Romans 8:28. He truly is the rescuer even from and within the cycle of muddle we sometimes get ourselves in.

I tend to live in ordered chaos at my home. I love to be organised and yet to an outsider looking at my files and the way I order data may not always seem streamlined. However, God’s order of our world and universe is visibly ordered in every way. Just looking at how the day follows night, how the seasons come and go in a set way and how the years so often have a structure to them which is designed by the Maker of them. We humans, however, don’t always keep the order that God established but there is always a way forward, often through the muddles.

When there is order and structure round a child, e.g. in a classroom situation, then a child can thrive with learning. When a child knows that he/she is loved unconditionally, then a child can relax knowing that this is ordered around him and true and very wonderful. They can then have a sense of self worth and confidence. However, when the reverse is in operation, then there is muddle and uncertainty. God wants to impart his order to our world and very especially onto each individual whether child or adult.

I desire to order my life according to God’s ways and standards. Then I can truly be at peace, knowing that I have a unique place in God’s world, doing his bidding and relishing in his provision and grace. Young children can know this and grow up knowing the stability of the ordered life of Christ, given to us by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let’s not deny this to our children – they and us adults are just like little lambs who need tending and helping and shaping into God’s order for our lives – in my mind, the best way forward..