Do you remember what it was like to be a kid? Granted, our childhood memories look a lot different then the memories children today will make. It was a simpler time, and I sometimes long for those days.
Jesus’ words here today seem to indicate that it is to those with faith like a child that truth will be revealed. Jesus said, “Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.” Jesus was full of joy at the thought. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and see if we can’t find our inner child.
Look around and everything is new. There are no worries about bills to pay, or where to go on vacation. The responsibilities of working a job, doing laundry, or mowing the grass don’t exist for us yet. We can play and play some more. Our imagination can take us anywhere, and we can pretend to be who we want to be – a princess perhaps (or a prince). We feel love. Contentment. Trust.
I realize not all of us had the ideal childhood, and some readers may have even had a horrific childhood of poverty or abuse. Even so, as a child we have a blind trust in our parents to provide for us. Blind in that we don’t question. Our needs are provided for and we take that for granted.
As we grow, our understanding of the world is shaped by the experiences we encounter in life. No longer are we under the protection of our parents. Like the curtain being pulled back, we can see the world and all of it’s problems. We are no longer sheltered from harm.
As children of God the Father, we have a special bond to him as we trust and obey. As we grow and experience the world, it is important to keep our faith young and fresh. Despite what we hear and see happening around us, God wants us to know that he always there guiding us and protecting us.
God is always faithful, and when we come to him as a child with open, adoring arms, he reveals himself to us. It is impossible for us to know God completely, “No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Even with other humans, it is impossible to truly know them. Your spouse or children have unspoken thoughts and desires that you may never know. Sometimes we find ourselves projecting our own ideals and thoughts on others because it’s what we “know.” That’s a recipe for disaster. Only God knows our every thought. There is no hiding from God. With God you can be totally open and honest. That’s what he expects and deserves.
We need to keep it simple and not over complicate our faith. A childlike faith would mean we are open and full of joy. We are unafraid to love God with our whole self. We trust God for everything we need. We have no fear in the unknown because God is by our side. Childlike faith.
Trusting God so freely may not be easy. If you have encountered difficulties in life or have built a wall around yourself for protection from hurt, shame and abuse, it will be hard to trust God in this way. This will be a process for all of us. Understanding how God wants us to be is a good start.
While we may not have been up close and personal with Jesus as the disciples, we have God’s Word. That’s something the disciples didn’t have. Yes, Jesus told them, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” Through the passages of the Bible, we are able to see and hear directly from Jesus. We also need to listen for his voice, trusting he will speak.
What is your message from God today?
Let’s pray. Father, I come to you today full of love and anticipation for what you are going to reveal to me today. I thank you that you have given me life and a wonderful life partner to share it with. I delight in you and how your word comes alive each day. Use my words to touch others and give them hope amidst their struggles. You have walked with me through many trials, and I am the person I am today because of you. You have always given me what I needed and I thank you for that. Use me today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
