Heart of a Child
Heart of a Child
- Are you currently up to 2 Corinthians 9? Y or N
- Are you using the S.O.A.P technique? Y or N
- Pray and meditate on the Lord’s prayer? Y or N
- Did you memorize Matthew 11:28-30? Y or N
- Did you work with Jesus (not for Him),do everything for His glory, and truly abide with Him? Y or N
Today’s scripture was one of those that “jumped out” at me during this current challenge. The disciples have been with Jesus now for over two years. They had heard His teachings, witnessed His miracles and had even seen thing happen in their own time of ministry. But this scripture points out just how ‘human’ the disciples were…and it can also be found in Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 9:46-48.
About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”
I don’t know about you, but ‘adulting’ can be tough sometimes and I would love to be like a little child with no responsibilities. To be able to be carefree, play games and enjoy life. I remember playing with my boys when they were kids, and now being able to repeat that with my grandkids.
Playing games like “Peek-a-boo” (tell ‘dad joke’ here)
Or “Hide-n-seek”, not the one where you tell them to go hide, and then ‘forget’ to go seek them…but where they are able to use their creative thought processes to find a spot to hide where you would least expect to find them.
Adam and Eve were the first ones to play Hide and Seek…not a good outcome. But God came up with a plan to seek and save that which was lost.
So for today, I would like for each of you to find the ‘inner child’ inside each and every one of us and become the child of God we are called to be. Let’s look at the scriptures on how we have our own version of ‘Hide and Seek’:
- Hide His Word (Psalm 119:11)
- Hide to seek (Matthew 6:6)
- Seek to find (Matthew 6:33)
1. Hide His Word
Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.”
Much like when you save money back in a safe place to be able to buy a big ticket item, the same is true when we mediate and memorize God’s Word.
Psalm 78:4: “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.”
How will they know unless we tell them???
2. Hide to Seek
Matthew 6:6: “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Find a place to get away from the distractions of this life.
Jesus did it, so you need to also!!! (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16)
Turn off the music, the phone, any distraction.
There is a time for the music/worship, but you also need the “BE STILL” time.
ILLUS: Intentional Time: Sabbatical: Katie Kinnaird
TBH….this is a difficult one for me.
3. Seek to Find
Matthew 6:33: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Other translations…”Seek FIRST..”
The worlds says there is a proper order for things…. First things first!
*This idiom is used to tell someone that more important things should be done before less important things.
With God, we are told to keep Him first, seek Him and we are promised that we will find Him.
Matthew 7:7-8: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
This is in no way a one and done thing
We have to daily be working on this, especially for us slow learners!
John 14:21: “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”