Childlike Faith

Childlike Faith

There is something so refreshing about talking to a new believer or a believer who has kept their child like faith.

Jewel Confession #797:

I have always had a grown up attitude about the following verses:
Ephesians 5:21-28 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
My problem with these verses has been just that, mine. It was from my jaded point of reference that these verses brought hurt instead of health. 
Years ago when I was married my ex-husband and I were going to marriage counselors, many counselors. After we had been to one for a while my ex would say they liked me better than him and he wouldn’t go anymore.
Of course they liked me betterJ There have only been 2 people that didn’t like me. One was a girl in high school; we had a crush on the same guy. The other was a woman who hadn’t actually met me and obviously didn’t know how awesome I was.  As you can see I have a realistic outlook on life (wink wink)
Ok so I finally sarcastically tell my ex-husband that he needs to find the next counselor and go to him or her a few times and when he’s sure they like him I will come too. He settled on a retired Baptist Preacher who also did marriage counseling. Now I’m not gonna lie I already had an attitude before I even walked in the room to meet this guy. The first thing I said was “if you’re gonna give me the submit to your husband crap I’m outa here.”
Every time that verse came up in a church service I would wiggle in my seat as it had a negative feel to it for me. Do you know what I’m talking about? Have you done the wiggle?
OK so fast forward 100 years. I’m sitting on the bed talking to my youngest daughter Jessica and we are getting ready to read the Bible and she tells me that Ephesians 5 is her favorite book. I hadn’t put the two together yet and asked her to read it out loud to me. I about fell off the bed when she started reading. I’m thinking this is your favorite book? Where did I go wrong?
As Jessica began to read the verses with her own tone and sentiment it was like they were brand new. She smiled as she read like she was reading a love story. When she finished she looked at me with the sweetest face and said isn’t that beautiful mom?
I was baffled because it was beautiful. I asked her to explain to me why she thought that and she said it was so romantic the picture of a man loving his wife so much he would die for her. That he could cleanse her by washing her with the word of God and make her holy, radiant and without blemish. To know your husband would take care of you the way Jesus does. That you could feel safe and secure and be one with your husband, why wouldn’t a woman respect her husband?
Hearing her speak and knowing she “got” what the Bible was saying was truly a beautiful moment for me. I will never hear those verses the same negative way again.
The next thing happened just yesterday. When I got home from work Jessica told me she was picked to preach to the leaders of her youth group. I was so excited for her I asked her to get her notes and preach it to me.
The question the leader asked, that she was to preach about, was why do people pray things they don’t believe God will do?
Jessica thought that was a dumb question. She answered; no one would do that, who would pray to God thinking He won’t answer?
Did that hit you as hard as it hit me? How many times have I prayed hoping God would answer or prayed thinking there’s not a chance He’s going to answer. How many hope prayers have I prayed instead of faith prayers?
Yes Gems, hearing the voice of childlike faith was very refreshing, a bit convicting but definitely refreshing.
Mark 10:15-16 truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Why do you think Jesus said this? Why did He bless them for it?
I think one reason is kids believe anything and will ask for anything expecting to get it. I have heard kids ask for a new bike, a car, even a pony.  My grandsons have no problem asking me for things every time they see me!
Can we go to the park, Disney, the moon? Lucas, my 7 yr. old grandson has already told me he’s going to the moon. They ask expecting me to say yes. They will even ask someone else’s mom or dad for things if you’re not available.  Children need you for EVERYTHING!
I was thinking the other day when my grown children came home again for a while. When they moved in they appeared stress free. No worries of will mom have enough money to take care of all of us? Will there be enough food or places to sleep? Will she be able to pay the rent while we’re here? They just moved in expecting to be taken care of. I’m not slamming my kids they do a lot for me I’m just using this example. The Lord told me this is how we should live our whole life. Just knowing our dad will take care of everything we need giving us anything we ask for that’s in our best interest plus gifts we don’t need or most times deserve.
It’s humbling being dependent on someone else. Over the years I have had people live with me but how I felt helping was quite different to how I felt when I had to live with someone. We become very proud and don’t take much needed help at times because we don’t want to appear weak or needy. That pride goes against everything Jesus teaches about our relationship with Him.
Matthew 18:4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Gems I hope this jewel reminded you as much as this experience reminded me to go back to a childlike faith. Let’s encourage one another to experience needing and receiving everything from our Lord.
I’m going to make a point to start looking at myself as a child when I speak to my Father.  Let’s welcome one another into this kind of romantic family and know in doing so we are welcoming in our sweet Jesus.
Matthew 18:5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
Lord can I have a ……?