Children in Heaven

Sometimes it makes me sad to think that there will be no babies and little children in Heaven not to say that babies and children don't go to Heaven when they die, but we will be ageless and there will be no marriage or reproduction. I believe that the things of this world are shadows of more perfect things to come. God loved to use object lessons in the Old Testament to prepare the people for Christ and the new covenant and when Jesus came He spoke in parables to teach the people of greater spiritual meaning. Marriage is a picture of Christ's relationship with the church. It's something earthly we can understand that points to something greater. Obviously, we have to have children so the human race doesn't die off, but we didn't have to have a loving, nurturing relationship with them. Why did God choose that for us? Maybe only to teach us more about His love for us. Maybe our children are a great object lesson. Imagine the relationship between God and Adam and Eve before the fall. Imagine how they walked and talked to each other and all the questions they had for their creator as He parented them. Quite often when new parents are asked what God has taught them with the arrival of their first baby they will say they understand God's love so much more. There is suffering to bring them life. There is sacrificial love. Children don't understand the extent of the love of the parents. It breaks the parents heart to correct the child, but the child sees it as cruel and unfair. Many of the decisions of the parents are based on the child's needs and wants. Parents love watching their children grow and experience new things. Parents love to give gifts and relish in the anticipation of giving them. There is so much that points to the love of Christ toward us. Imagine if we could love without selfishness, a double standard or regret. Imagine children who could understand the extent of our love with gratitude, humility and obedience. That's what the parent/ child relationship will be like in Heaven.