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Yes, Jesus cares for you and me. Not just for our salvation which of course is the most important since it is eternal, but also for our daily cares. This icon represents something special to me.
The icon shows a representation of what Jesus might have looked like, presumably prior to His public ministry, in the the family carpentry shop. Jesus is represented as anything but the namby-pamby male so often shown in Renaissance pictures. It shows a person of great physical strength (look at those forearms). Yet, it shows someone who would take the time out of His busy schedule to fix a toy for a child.
It says something else: the child knew he could come to Jesus for help. We too can come to Jesus for help. First, for the salvation He provided, which is a gift from God. Next, for even our daily cares. A couple of verses from scripture point to this:
“Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
(Matthew 19:13-14 NIV)
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“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:29-30 NIV)
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The Lord's Prayer, in which He demonstrated how we should pray, includes a section that deals with our daily living.
“After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory, for ever.
Amen.”
(Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
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The Lord came the first time to give us rest. He loves us. He did not come the first time to judge, that is reserved for His second coming. So I urge you to come to know the Lord in a special way, and receive His love.
If you have a graphical representation of what the Lord means to you, email it to me with a short message. It might be interesting to create a small library of these.