At church today we were asked to evaluate our hearts, looking specifically for places where we limit God.
A child of mine looked up at me and said rather frankly, "Mom, I don't get this whole thing."
I started to explain, hoping to spark something new in him, and assuming he meant that he didn't understand what we were doing. His deep, deep eyes looked into me and he spoke frankly again:
"Mom, I believe God can do anything ALL THE TIME. I don't understand why adults forget that sometimes. It seems silly, like kids should be the ones that forget, but it's actually the adults that forget. Maybe that's why God calls us His children..."
BOOM.
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
When Jesus said that, he meant it physically. There were crowds of people, and often the kids wanted to swarm him. His adult followers tried to keep them away so the other adult followers could hear him teach, etc, and Jesus was telling them not to do that.
I believe Jesus often said things with huge, huge depth- things that speak into our lives now, thousands of years later. After my child's comments at church this morning, what I see in Jesus' words goes beyond the original "crowd" context...
What if we are hindering children from coming to Jesus by accidentally teaching them that God has limits. What if we are allowing our disappointments, our wounds, the things we don't understand to slowly put up roadblocks in our hearts until we have reduced God to history and eternity, leaving a huge, gaping, empty spot in the now. What if we have decided that the pain of relationship hurts more than the pain of solitude, and have told the door of Heaven to stay shut until we cross over in death?
I've decided to open the door.
(and yes, I keep getting weirder, so watch out! :) )
I want to shake off the things that, in my child's words, make me "forget" that God can do anything. I want Heaven's door to stay OPEN so God can pass through to my life on Earth, that I may walk with Him THIS side of eternity, as well as the next. I want to truly be a CHILD of God- unscarred, unhindered, fully believing, limitless, free!
Cute story, to wrap things up:
A few weeks ago the 3 oldest were out in the back yard playing, and decided that it would be fun if it rained. They all climbed on top of the picnic table, and shouted as emphatically as they could (at the sky), "RAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINN!!!!" Over and over they shouted, pausing to explain to me that they wanted God to hear them.
The next day it rained, and they were thrilled that God had responded :)
Theeeeeen... as fall began to approach, we had some windy days. Out in the back yard again they squealed and squirmed, enjoying a huge gust of wind. After the gust passed the boys shouted upward, "Again, God! That was awesoooooome!" Another gust blew, and they were so tickled! After each gust they began shouting, "Again! Again!"
The parallel spiritual world is so real to them, and such a testimony to me.
Matthew 18:3
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done- on Earth as it is in Heaven!
A child of mine looked up at me and said rather frankly, "Mom, I don't get this whole thing."
I started to explain, hoping to spark something new in him, and assuming he meant that he didn't understand what we were doing. His deep, deep eyes looked into me and he spoke frankly again:
"Mom, I believe God can do anything ALL THE TIME. I don't understand why adults forget that sometimes. It seems silly, like kids should be the ones that forget, but it's actually the adults that forget. Maybe that's why God calls us His children..."
BOOM.
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
When Jesus said that, he meant it physically. There were crowds of people, and often the kids wanted to swarm him. His adult followers tried to keep them away so the other adult followers could hear him teach, etc, and Jesus was telling them not to do that.
I believe Jesus often said things with huge, huge depth- things that speak into our lives now, thousands of years later. After my child's comments at church this morning, what I see in Jesus' words goes beyond the original "crowd" context...
What if we are hindering children from coming to Jesus by accidentally teaching them that God has limits. What if we are allowing our disappointments, our wounds, the things we don't understand to slowly put up roadblocks in our hearts until we have reduced God to history and eternity, leaving a huge, gaping, empty spot in the now. What if we have decided that the pain of relationship hurts more than the pain of solitude, and have told the door of Heaven to stay shut until we cross over in death?
I've decided to open the door.
(and yes, I keep getting weirder, so watch out! :) )
I want to shake off the things that, in my child's words, make me "forget" that God can do anything. I want Heaven's door to stay OPEN so God can pass through to my life on Earth, that I may walk with Him THIS side of eternity, as well as the next. I want to truly be a CHILD of God- unscarred, unhindered, fully believing, limitless, free!
Cute story, to wrap things up:
A few weeks ago the 3 oldest were out in the back yard playing, and decided that it would be fun if it rained. They all climbed on top of the picnic table, and shouted as emphatically as they could (at the sky), "RAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINN!!!!" Over and over they shouted, pausing to explain to me that they wanted God to hear them.
The next day it rained, and they were thrilled that God had responded :)
Theeeeeen... as fall began to approach, we had some windy days. Out in the back yard again they squealed and squirmed, enjoying a huge gust of wind. After the gust passed the boys shouted upward, "Again, God! That was awesoooooome!" Another gust blew, and they were so tickled! After each gust they began shouting, "Again! Again!"
The parallel spiritual world is so real to them, and such a testimony to me.
Matthew 18:3
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done- on Earth as it is in Heaven!
Oh, Anna. Your blogs bless me so. I LOVE children and learn so much from them. I truly believe as we try to understand with a childlike heart we learn volumes of His secrets and can then share them. I'm with you! OPEN the doors and LEAVE THEM OPEN!!!!!!!!
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