A Childlike Faith
Posted: 5/7/2019
Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mark 10:14)
When my children were young, they jumped out of bed every morning eager to start a new day. They did not worry about what they would eat or whether they would have clothes to wear. They had a home where they knew that everything that belonged to their parents belonged to them as well. They trusted their parents completely and depended on their love at all times.
When we become children of God, Jesus instructs us to return to the innocence of our youth. He wants us to trust Him with total abandonment and joy, free from the worries and concerns that can so easily dominate our lives (especially since most of what we worry about are things we cannot change!). Being free from concerns is not the same thing as abandoning responsibilities. It is learning to tell the difference so we can give our concerns to the Lord.
If we, as adults, will come to Jesus with this kind of freedom and trust, we will experience that same sense of joy and contentment each day. But most of us have been hurt by others over the years. This hurt has affected our trust in people, and ultimately our trust in God. We feel the need to take control of life for our own protection. If others are not trustworthy, maybe God isn’t either.
But God ‘s love is totally dependable. We need to learn to let go. God wants us to trust Him, not just with our fears, but with every area of our lives. God in Christ will provide all that we need. He will protect us from evil and guide us each day. The road back to innocence and child-like trust is risky and sometimes scary, but it begins with allowing God to be our Father and letting Him provide all we need.
As we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God wants you to listen to Him through His Word, to lean not on your own understanding. Instead, lean on the love of your Heavenly Father (Proverbs 3:5-6). You will rediscover the amazing joy of being absolutely free from concern. And you may even regain the joy of your youth.
Heavenly Father, Help me grow up before I grow old. Help me to become more trusting, more innocent, more willing to follow, more ready to express joy. Help me to lean on you with a childlike faith. Amen.
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