Like a Child

Jesus told His disciples that we need to be like the children sitting on His lap.
How can we be like children? What point was Jesus trying to make?
I've been working with very young children for the past few days. They have made me remember many of the children I've worked with over the years, as well as my own.

What would they do in the presence of God?
They would walk up to Him, take His hand, and share.


Boldly coming to Him.
Can you imagine just walking up to Jesus, who was the embodiment of God?

As adults we tend to visualize crawling up to the foot of the cross, laying prostrate before the Lord, groveling in humility, etc.

But think about a little child.

This tiny person just walks up to us 'tall' people and takes our hand. It doesn't matter if they've known you for 10 seconds or their whole lives. They want to be close. They want to touch. They often quickly climb into a lap if you sit for even a little bit.

How can we crawl into the lap of the Lord?

Taking His Hand
How do we take the Hand of Jesus today? We obviously cannot physically - so how do we make that touch?
When kids do this, they rarely talk. The 'tall one' holds out a hand sometimes and the wee ones just slide their hand right in.
God is holding out his hand. Just slide right up to Him and walk a while without talking. 10 minutes silent before the Lord. The best part of my time with God!
We don't even have to wait to feel asked. God will ALWAYS take your hand. Just reach up and slide your hand right in.


Now share.
Sharing. The highlight of any child's day or week. My daughter, Beth, talks all week about show and tell on Friday. She wants to take the best thing. She wants her center (her toy) to be the most popular in the class and she will spend all week planning for the time. Sometimes she gets it right. Other times she is very hurt that the others don't see her sharing item as the special thing it is.
Not so with Jesus. Every item we take to share with Him is the best. He knows how our hearts long for someone to understand. He understands. When we share with Jesus, we have brought the best. We can be the best.
I sometimes - ok - often - have the tendency to try to use church-speak when I pray. A lot of times I wonder if I'm even heard. Does God tune out the droning on and on that I tend to tune out on my son when he is telling the longest story ever? He often uses vocabulary only found in Star Wars, Bionicle, Lego, or Eragon. I don't understand him. Is God like that? Does He tune out those fancy words? The Bible hints that.
Kids don't speak like that. They have no pretense. They have no fear. They will just walk up to you and say, "You're fat." Not judging you. Not changing their love for you. Just stating a fact. They will just as easily blurt out, "You have nice hair." Just stating a fact.
Do we talk to God about Him? You're awesome. You're too much for my brain to handle. You scare me. I love You. I want You to love me.
Then we want to ask for things.
I have a problem asking for things.
"Lord God, if it be in Your Will, please grant me......"
Church talk.
Kids don't talk like that. They lay it on the line. I want that. Why? Why? Gimme that! That was mine! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE?!?!?! Stomp Stomp STOMP STOMP I SAID I WANT THAT NOW!!!!!
I'm not sure the tantrum is what Jesus was talking about. But what about just stating what God already knows : God, I want.....
What if we don't get it?
God, why?
Why?
I want it - gimme it!
Why not?

Is it OK to be mad? to throw a bit of a tantrum? to cry before the Lord? I think so. I think we're throwing the tantrum inside anyway - why not admit it - HUMBLE OURSELVES - admit to ourselves what God already knows about us - that we are little kids inside, still throwing tantrums over the stuff we can't have and letting it build up as a wall between US.

God, I want Wyatt to be healed. I want him to be strong.
God, I want Jacob to do well in school. Please take this ADHD thing away from him. We don't like it. Make it go away.
God, I'm tired. Please help me go to sleep soon so that I can do my best tomorrow. You're gonna hafta be there with me for me to get through the day as it is!

Thanks God.
I'll be back tomorrow.
You'll be here, right?