One of my favorite things to do is to greet people at the front door of our church. I enjoy "connecting" even if it's in a small way to each and every person - especially the children. I try to always get down to their level and look them in the eye and give them a big hug. To me, they are so precious to God.
Jesus felt the same way - Children are special in the kingdom of God. Jesus reminds us that if our faith is not like that of a child - we cannot get into heaven.
Here are some things about children that will help us in regard to our own faith.
1. A child is totally dependent upon his father.
He is trusting. A child knows that he doesn’t know very much and needs to trust to his wise father’s guidance.
This makes me think back on the times as a father that I would put one of my daughters on a high place and tell them to jump to me. They would jump freely because they trusted that I would catch them.
It is the same way with our heavenly Father. There are times He tells us to jump into His arms. It is at those times we must totally trust Him as we jump into His arms.
It is when the child starts to think that he knows more than the father that he gets himself in trouble. The wiser the child becomes...the more he realizes how much he doesn’t know and how much his father does know.
As a child we were dependent on our parents for all our needs.
The father doesn’t begrudge the son for asking him for food....or clothes....or a warm dry house. The father wants his son to look to him for his needs. No father would be pleased with a son who decided to eat grass, rather than ask his father for some food.
In truth, it would be an insult to the father if the son didn’t ask his father for his needs. It would also bring discredit to the father for others to think that he would not love his son enough to give him what he needed.
Another thing about dependence is in understanding the principle of waiting. A child learns to wait...he learns that he can’t have everything he wants...when he wants it.
He may not understand this, but sometimes he will not get what he want because the father has determined that it would not be best for him.
Many children have been injured in some way when they have decided to take things “into their own hands” and try to fulfill their own desires against the father’s advice.
2. A child is expected to be obedient.
A father expects his child to obey him immediately - without argument. Even if he may not fully understand.
A father expects a child to obey him without fussing, complaining, or murmuring.
A father expects the child to obey with respect for the father’s greater wisdom - even if that wisdom is not apparent or understood.
3. A child should submit his will to the will of the father.
The child knows that there is an order of submission and that he must submit for his own good. He also understands that the father will punish him if he refuses to submit.
Even though it displeases the father greatly, he will punish the child for trying to make himself equal with the father.
4. A child must grow.
He will grow slowly, at first. He will have to be fed and watched after for his every need.
Even if he doesn’t know that he has a need, the parent knows and will supply it for him.
As time goes on, the father expects that the the child will learn from the father and be able to do the right things on his own.
5.. The child will look like the father....act like the father.
He should imitate the father more and more as he grows. People will know what son belongs to what father by how the father and the son act.
6. . A little child would always want to know that his father was close by.
He would grieve if he thought that he was separated from his father.
This child’s security doesn’t come from knowing that we have a standing army or that the police are on duty. This child’s security and safety are directly linked to his father.
His peace of mind....comfort....and security are dependent upon his close relationship with his father.
Remember, if we don’t become as little children....we will not ENTER INTO THE
KINGDOM OF GOD!
Are you trusting God today with the faith of a child or are you trusting Him with doubt and skepticism? Are you willing to abandon yourself and jump into His arms and say "Daddy God, I am so dependent on you today?"
My prayer for each of you as you read this blog that you would realign yourself with God as a child that is so dependent on God that you will trust Him with the details of your life that He knows what is best for you.
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