Last night, I was watching the kids play when one of the two year old boys came over and planted himself on my lap. Then, he pushed his head back as far as he could so that he could see my face. To be honest, I wanted to laugh so hard, but I just smiled as big as I could at this little upside down face. He smile back, and then laughed and laughed. (I love my job!) This little interaction took only seconds last night but has been stuck in my brain ever since.
As I stared down at this sweet little face, I began to fully understand why God wants us to come to him like a child. In that precious smile, there was complete faith and joy. He had no fear or worry, but he fully believed that I was there to protect and love him. I could not have found more joy in smiling back at this little boy and showing him that he could depend fully on me. One of my favorite teaching moments in the Bible, Jesus is teaching his own disciples.
Mark 10:13-16
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them."
My first thought as a Children's Pastor is "Yeah, You tell 'em Jesus!"(Sticking out my tongue as all good kids would) However upon further inspection, I question my own faith. Do I truly come to God like a child? Children have no stress or worry weighing them down, creating doubt in their heart. Children just believe with vast abandon. They have no reason to question that God is able to handle every circumstance. As adults, reason and experience seem to cloud our ability to love and believe just like a child. Children do not live in fear. They look at the world through God's glasses. As we grow older, we allow those clean glasses to be tainted by the horrors of the world around us.
So I supposed the question becomes, is it possible to come to God like a child?
Yes...Absolutely, but not without a little prayer. I always find that when I am faced with what seems to be an insurmountable quest, prayer is my first stop. Asking God to give me the ability to remember the carefree days of childhood. The days when our biggest decision was whether to ride bikes or go to the playground down the street, whether to make smores or have an epic chubby bunny competition, whether to go down the slide feet first or head first. As we begin to remember how that feels, we can reprogram the filter we use when looking at the world. We must hold on to what the Bible says in II Timothy 2:7(NASB) "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." We were not made to fear. We have been given power, love and discipline. The Bible goes on to say in
Romans 8:28-39
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I love this passage because it answers a lot of big questions. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" That is a good question. What reason do we have to worry? The God who created this world and everything in it, is taking care of me so why should I be worried. And, even if something difficult should happen, I know that he loves me no matter what! Hello! Read the last few verses of this passage, God loves you so much and nothing is going to change that! So, it is really up to you. Can you let go and trust God as a child trusts their parent or in my case their teacher?
I know that I live every day to trust God like that. Am I always successful? No! However, when things get to be too much and I start doubting God, I know that it is time to go play. You probably think I am an being metaphorical but no. I really need to go play! Just like a kid, I need to go sit on the swings or call up my best friend and talk about nothing in particular. I need to cut and paste, creating something beautiful or grab a hair brush and sing a worship song at the top of my lungs. I really need to play! Sometimes play is good therapy when life seems to get overwhelming. So give it a try. It is time to act like a kid again, and remember what it feels like to believe with vast abandon. It is time to lay on the grass stare up at the clouds and dream of what's up there. God will handle every issue, but you need to stop and look up at God and allow him to smile down over you. In that moment, you will remember that you are a child of the King and nothing else in this world matters. So go out and play, believing that God will handle the rest.
