Our family watched the movie Heaven is For Real, and afterward, I had a precious conversation with our youngest son. He was sitting at the table coloring a picture, while I was washing dinner dishes and trying desperately to clean up the kitchen before bed-time. Seemingly out of nowhere, my seven year old said that Jesus "told him things sometimes." Curious, of course, I asked, "What kind of things does Jesus tell you?" His answer surprised me: "To follow Him."
The song, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" came flooding into my mind...the second verse especially: Though none go with me, still I will follow. Though none go with me, still I will follow. Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back. No turning back. So I turned to Seth and said, "Well, Seth, what would happen if everyone else you knew chose NOT to follow Jesus?" To my surprise and delight, he nonchalantly replied: "Then I guess I would just be alone," and continued his coloring, completely unaware and undisturbed by the profoundness of his statement.
That's the beauty of a child-like faith, isn't it? Even as he spoke those last words, I felt a jump in my spirit. Surely he doesn't understand how horrible that would be? It would be lonely and sad and dark and dreary to be the only Believer on planet earth. It would be a difficult life, full of persecution and angry stares, possibly even blows.
And yet, my child didn't have to understand all of that. He just knew that he had to do what Jesus had said. He had to follow Him, period. No matter what.
We might simply put aside his child-like faith as ignorance, if it weren't for the fact that Jesus, Himself, said that we must not make light of a child's faith, but desire it above all else. As a matter of fact, Jesus calls child-like faith a necessity for the Christian. Matthew 18:1-4 says, "At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, 'Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?' For
an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the
room, and said, 'I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you
return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going
to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple
and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom.
What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same
as receiving me'" (The Message - Emphasis mine).
Simple and elemental. I think that's my problem. I'm not simple and elemental when it comes to my my Christian walk. Like Peter in the storm, I look at my surroundings, instead of my Savior. I look at the things that surround me and respond to my circumstances. Peter would have walked on the water, all the way into the arms of Jesus, if he had simply not looked away.
Child-like faith wouldn't have looked away. It wouldn't have even acknowledged the very-real dangers in the presence of Christ.
Oh, but Adult-like faith would.
The difference is that Child-like faith would see the wonder of the Savior and be entranced with His gaze. Child-like faith would simply answer when He called, no matter the consequences. Child-like faith wouldn't try to figure out what to say to a non-believer about Jesus. Child-like faith would pray and trust that God would give him/her the words. Child-like faith wouldn't worry about the safety of their family. Child-like faith would ask for safety and then trust that God would provide. Child-like faith wouldn't be concerned about how hard life as a Believer is. Child-like faith would just be content to "be alone."
Father, I ask that You help me understand...no...not understand. Help me instead, to trust You, like a little child...without the worries and concerns. I'm not saying those things aren't there. I am saying You are in control of them. So I ask for child-like faith - faith that trusts Your every move...Your every turn...in every situation. May I learn to look at You and You, alone.
Thank You, Jesus...for listening and loving Your child.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
Out of Sight - Out of Mind...Really?
Walking into the bathroom this morning, I noticed a small, crumbed piece of paper at the back of the trash can, wedged next to the wall. I'm sure you don't have those stray pieces of paper in your home...but I do. I looked at it and had a conversation with myself. One side of me thought it would be best to go ahead, bend down and pick up the trash. However, the other side conversed with my old joints and decided I could bend down and get it later. After all, it was early morning, and my body really wasn't awake yet.
I casually glanced away, pretending that I could trick myself into believing that the paper didn't exist. And for the most part, it worked. I walked out and the aggravating piece of trash disappeared from my memory. Out of sight - out of mind.
That is, until I returned to that room and "the thing" stood out like a sore thumb. It was still there. No Magic Bathroom Fairy had come and removed it. My bathroom was still unclean.
"What's the big deal," you might ask, "It's not like the piece of paper is going to multiply. It's not going to morph into some creature and attack you when you enter the room." That is true. It is JUST a single piece of dirty paper littering the floor. Hardly anyone can see it...but I know it's there. I see it every time I return, thinking to myself, "I really need to pick that up." I know the bathroom is not truly clean, unless that piece of paper somehow finds its way into the trashcan.
So, obviously, there IS a problem. That small, dirty little piece of paper has changed the way I feel about myself and my bathroom. And the silly thing is, all it would take for my confidence in myself to change and my bathroom to be truly clean would be simply the effort it takes to bend down, pick up the paper and put it where it belongs. My guilt would be gone and my bathroom clean.
That's a lot like our sin, isn't it? We come to God during our quiet times and as He prods us to confess that "little thing" - to pick it up and throw it into the trashcan - we turn away and pretend the sin isn't there. After all, it's not much It's not a BIG sin. It's a little white lie or a worry issue or our tendency to gossip about others. It's not really that bad. It just makes us uncomfortable to look at. We don't want to dwell on it, so we pretend it's not there. Sadly, in turn, we forfeit being freed and cleansed.
I John 4:9 is a verse used many times when witnessing to non-believers. However, it was actually written to Christians...yes, Christians: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Just like bending down and picking up that stray piece of paper - it's not hard to confess. We just have to acknowledge the sin is really there and agree with God that we did something wrong - something against Him. Then, we can enter our relationship time with the Father, without guilt or remorse or the pretense that everything is okay.
Jesus wants freedom in your relationship with Him today. He wants you to come boldly and joyfully into His presence and be free to walk with Him and talk with Him. He wants you to be pure and blameless, with no shame in your fellowship with your Father.
So let's stop pretending today. Let's stop ignoring the sins that hold our heart captive - the sins that dirty our conscience and mind. Let's confess before the Father the supposed hidden things that we don't want to have to acknowledge. Let's confess those things that no one else sees, but that bring guilt. Let's confess them and be cleansed, so that today, you and I can walk freely into the presence of our Father, with freedom and great joy.
I confess, Jesus, that I am in need of cleansing Dig deep into the hidden parts of my heart and spread light onto the things of darkness that I have chosen to ignore or try to hide from You. Help me confess them and then live freely in my relationship with You. Amen.
I casually glanced away, pretending that I could trick myself into believing that the paper didn't exist. And for the most part, it worked. I walked out and the aggravating piece of trash disappeared from my memory. Out of sight - out of mind.
That is, until I returned to that room and "the thing" stood out like a sore thumb. It was still there. No Magic Bathroom Fairy had come and removed it. My bathroom was still unclean.
"What's the big deal," you might ask, "It's not like the piece of paper is going to multiply. It's not going to morph into some creature and attack you when you enter the room." That is true. It is JUST a single piece of dirty paper littering the floor. Hardly anyone can see it...but I know it's there. I see it every time I return, thinking to myself, "I really need to pick that up." I know the bathroom is not truly clean, unless that piece of paper somehow finds its way into the trashcan.
So, obviously, there IS a problem. That small, dirty little piece of paper has changed the way I feel about myself and my bathroom. And the silly thing is, all it would take for my confidence in myself to change and my bathroom to be truly clean would be simply the effort it takes to bend down, pick up the paper and put it where it belongs. My guilt would be gone and my bathroom clean.
That's a lot like our sin, isn't it? We come to God during our quiet times and as He prods us to confess that "little thing" - to pick it up and throw it into the trashcan - we turn away and pretend the sin isn't there. After all, it's not much It's not a BIG sin. It's a little white lie or a worry issue or our tendency to gossip about others. It's not really that bad. It just makes us uncomfortable to look at. We don't want to dwell on it, so we pretend it's not there. Sadly, in turn, we forfeit being freed and cleansed.
I John 4:9 is a verse used many times when witnessing to non-believers. However, it was actually written to Christians...yes, Christians: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Just like bending down and picking up that stray piece of paper - it's not hard to confess. We just have to acknowledge the sin is really there and agree with God that we did something wrong - something against Him. Then, we can enter our relationship time with the Father, without guilt or remorse or the pretense that everything is okay.
Jesus wants freedom in your relationship with Him today. He wants you to come boldly and joyfully into His presence and be free to walk with Him and talk with Him. He wants you to be pure and blameless, with no shame in your fellowship with your Father.
So let's stop pretending today. Let's stop ignoring the sins that hold our heart captive - the sins that dirty our conscience and mind. Let's confess before the Father the supposed hidden things that we don't want to have to acknowledge. Let's confess those things that no one else sees, but that bring guilt. Let's confess them and be cleansed, so that today, you and I can walk freely into the presence of our Father, with freedom and great joy.
I confess, Jesus, that I am in need of cleansing Dig deep into the hidden parts of my heart and spread light onto the things of darkness that I have chosen to ignore or try to hide from You. Help me confess them and then live freely in my relationship with You. Amen.
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