As A Little Child

Thoughts Along the Way©

 

But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17

             While sitting in church, I noticed a father with his 18 month old baby girl. He held her, walked her and played with her so she was happy and his wife had a chance to rest and listen to the message. It was easy to tell that it was not just for his wife but that he was enjoying this precious time with his even more precious daughter. With this as the background, it was touching to see how she trusted her daddy. As small children are want to do, she would suddenly launch herself backward with no fear of falling because daddy was there. She was safe in his strong loving arms.

            God calls us His precious children and desires that we trust Him as a small child trusts her father. As adults or at least not small children, we have experienced how things do not always go as we expect or even desire. It is so easy and “natural” to see these disappointments as proof of our heavenly Father failing to keep us. In response we become stiff, suspicious, and unwilling to risk and trust. But even in our stiffness and lack of faith, God still loves us and delights in us. The father at church delighted in spending time with his little girl and our heavenly Father delights in spending time with us. “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

When only 1 lady and her 2 year old son came to the first cooking class, I wondered how much I could trust God because I had prayed specifically that I would either have several ladies or none. I did not want only one because she then feels very awkward. I felt that God had let me fall flat on my face. I debated whether to cancel the class. The class now has 5-6 ladies. What is even more amazing is that one day a lady stopped to ask if I would be willing to teach an English cooking class on Monday. She said she would bring her friends. That class is now close to 10 ladies. Looking back I see God at work His way. What a marvelous difference between my way and God’s way. He is calling me to trust Him with a child-like faith that rests safely in her Daddy’s strong loving arms.

 

Prayer: Father, I need to learn and re-learn what it means to trust you like a little child held in her daddy’s arms. Teach me the joy of knowing You as Father. When things don’t go as I planned and even prayed, let me continue to trust that You are at work in even better ways. Give me a simple faith that can rest in You through the easy times and the hard, when I understand and when I am confused, when I feel Your presence and when I don’t. May Jesus be lifted up for all to see His glory.

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