Childlike Faith

But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Mark 10:12,13

When Jesus heard the disciples rebuke those parents, He in turn rebuked them. He really upset about it, in fact. I like coming back to this picture of Jesus again and again, because it is clear how much He valued the childlike faith of children.

Why is it so easy for children to believe.....to have faith in something they can't see? Not only do they have the faith, they act on it. It is no problem for them to grasp the concept of knowing in order for something to really work, they have to put it into practice. They leave money under the pillow for the tooth fairy.....and lo and behold, the money is there when they wake up. It doesn't really matter to them how it works, they just take it in faith that it will because their parents told them it will.

And somehow it happens just that way. That is, until they find out it was their parents all along hiding the money under the pillow and putting the cookies out for Santa.  

We forget what was once so easy.....so natural. We get too smart to put our faith in something we can't see. Like God. But the problem is that God says that unless we do just that, we will never see Him. We will never enter His kingdom.....

So we spend the rest of our Christian walk trying to get back to that place of faith.

I miss my childlike faith. I too have cashed in on the world system. Let's face it, it's easier. I go to work, I get paid. I buy what I need. I get sick, I go to the doctor. Then if I don't get better I pray.

It's a process of going back, all our lives. Of letting go, unclenching our fists to give back to God what was His all along. I miss my childlike faith.

My Mom tells me that when I was first saved at aged 14, I was the one who really gave her the faith to give when she didn't have it. I remember praying together for a refrigerator when ours went out. My Mom had no idea where the money would come from. There was certainly not enough for one of those. Then, God answered our prayer of faith by supplying one that was almost new.....for 25 dollars!

I remember that refrigerator lasted for years and years.

I love to watch my niece at the beach. It is no problem for her to believe she can build a castle fit for a queen out of water and sand. The water washes it away and she starts all over again......

She has faith that whatever she believes can happen.

Lord, give me that kind again.