Faith Like a Child
A boy was sitting on a park bench with one hand resting on an open Bible. He was loudly exclaiming his praise to God. "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God is great!" he yelled without worrying whether anyone heard him or not.
Along came a man who had recently completed some studies at a local university. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth and very eager to show this enlightenment, he asked the boy about the source of his joy.
The boy replied with a bright laugh, "Don't you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle." The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy, and began to try to open his eyes to the "realities" behind the miracles of the Bible. "That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10-inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across."
The boy was stumped. His eyes wandered from the man back to the Bible lying open in his lap. The man- content that he had enlightened a poor, naive young person to the finer points of scientific insight- turned to go. Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.
"Wow!" Exclaimed the boy happily, "God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!"
How often do we try to explain away, "enlighten" and minimize the joy of a child? How often have I stifled a child's enthusiasm for Christ? I've searched myself and found myself wanting in having faith like a child, joy like my son, love like my daughter.
Lord, let me remember to always be a child at heart, full of hope, being jubilant and having the imagination to see God as the Great I AM who is capable of more than my brain can comprehend. Teach me to long to be your child in every way.
This is one of my favorite songs- Like a Child by Jars of Clay.
It reminds me that as I grow older, I am not to grow independent and to rely on myself, but rather to remember that I am God's child - forever- a child who shares His home, who gets to talk with Him about anything and everything (and He will never give me the look that says "I'm busy" or make me feel like I am a bother to Him) and who gets to snuggle up to Him for some good old fashion love. I may grow up, but I'll never be pushed out of his house. My room will always be mine. Amd My Daddy is better than the world's daddy,and He can definitely beat the world's daddy up!
Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear.
Dear God, don't let me fall apart
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched
for answers I can't understand
Chorus: They say that I can move the mountains
And send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose
the recklessness I walked in light of you
Chorus: They say that I can move the mountains
And send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
They say that I can move the mountains
And send them crashing to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
(I've got joy like a fountain)
May you bask in the arms of our Father's love. May you be as jubilant as a child who know that he/she is safe without a care in the world. May you be as excited as a kid on Christmas morning when it comes to talking about God.
Along came a man who had recently completed some studies at a local university. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth and very eager to show this enlightenment, he asked the boy about the source of his joy.
The boy replied with a bright laugh, "Don't you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle." The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy, and began to try to open his eyes to the "realities" behind the miracles of the Bible. "That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10-inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across."
The boy was stumped. His eyes wandered from the man back to the Bible lying open in his lap. The man- content that he had enlightened a poor, naive young person to the finer points of scientific insight- turned to go. Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.
"Wow!" Exclaimed the boy happily, "God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!"
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch 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. I tell you the truth, 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, put his hands on them and
blessed them. ~ Matthew 10:13-16
How often do we try to explain away, "enlighten" and minimize the joy of a child? How often have I stifled a child's enthusiasm for Christ? I've searched myself and found myself wanting in having faith like a child, joy like my son, love like my daughter.
Lord, let me remember to always be a child at heart, full of hope, being jubilant and having the imagination to see God as the Great I AM who is capable of more than my brain can comprehend. Teach me to long to be your child in every way.
This is one of my favorite songs- Like a Child by Jars of Clay.
It reminds me that as I grow older, I am not to grow independent and to rely on myself, but rather to remember that I am God's child - forever- a child who shares His home, who gets to talk with Him about anything and everything (and He will never give me the look that says "I'm busy" or make me feel like I am a bother to Him) and who gets to snuggle up to Him for some good old fashion love. I may grow up, but I'll never be pushed out of his house. My room will always be mine. Amd My Daddy is better than the world's daddy,and He can definitely beat the world's daddy up!
Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear.
Dear God, don't let me fall apart
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched
for answers I can't understand
Chorus: They say that I can move the mountains
And send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose
the recklessness I walked in light of you
Chorus: They say that I can move the mountains
And send them falling to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
They say that I can move the mountains
And send them crashing to the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with Faith Like a Child
(I've got joy like a fountain)
May you bask in the arms of our Father's love. May you be as jubilant as a child who know that he/she is safe without a care in the world. May you be as excited as a kid on Christmas morning when it comes to talking about God.
Labels: Faith
posted by Shalee at 1:28 PM
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