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A Childlike Faith
Andrea Lende • May 23, 2021
Mark 10:14 and 16
A Childlike Faith
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/A-Childlike-Faith-e11e7ho
Mark 10:14 and 16
“But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me – do not forbid or prevent or hinder them – for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
And He took them [the children up one by one] in His arms and [fervently invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them.”
As I read this passage, a question was raised in my spirit.
How do I have or achieve childlike faith?
This question is worth pondering because the reward is great.
Jesus would not let His beloved disciples turn the children away from Him.
If that is the case, He would also certainly not let Satan snatch us out of His hand.
There is a safety here.
Safety in knowing the Lord will keep us His and treasure us.
This passage says He picked each and every child up in His arms.
Oh, to be held by the Prince of Peace.
My heart is warmed by the thought.
Then He fervently invoked a blessing on each one.
I want that too.
So, how do we instill a childlike faith in ourselves to receive such beautiful blessings?
First, children are innocent.
They look at the world through innocent eyes and spirits.
They have done nothing wrong to deserve punishment or feel shame.
Jesus died to not only forgive us from our sins, but to relieve us from the guilt and shame that accompanies sin.
I am convicted because I know I haven’t fully accepted this gift.
What would life be like if we didn’t live in guilt and shame and past hurts and pain?
Second, children are true believers.
They fully believe we love them.
They not only believe it, but they receive it as well.
What if we truly believed God loves us?
And, what if we could fully receive His love?
We would be completely transformed.
I see this in my spirit.
What keeps us from fully receiving His love?
Maybe we don’t take the time to sit in His presence and receive it.
Maybe we can’t really imagine it.
Just pondering these ideas shows me I need to do some work here.
I need to let the Lord do a work on my heart.
I need to ask Him to show me what fully receiving His love looks like.
A different message for today – and one that is not fully complete – but the beginning of a new revelation for me.
Today I choose to lean into a new possibility and new understanding of what childlike faith is and how it can transform my heart and relationship with the Lord.
May you find a new truth today as we ponder thoughts about childlike faith.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for opening up the possibility of a new truth this morning about childlike faith. Thank You for showing my spirit about innocence and how I need to receive the complete forgiveness You offer. Help me move from knowledge to understanding in this area. Help me receive the kind of forgiveness that allows me to forgive myself so I can move into a place of true innocence. The kind of childlike innocence that allows me to see You and all Your beauty with wonder. Help me see You in all Your wonder and beauty like a child, Father. Help me believe in Your love as a child believes in love. Transform my hard heart, Lord. Create a clean heart in me, O God. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I take pleasure in showing your more of Me and My ways My child as I continue to draw you closer to Me.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and merciful Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.