You have to be as a Child

by Maranatha Chapman

 

 

A few weeks ago, my oldest son, Benjamin, turned 13 years old. His father led in several opportunities for us and others to not only celebrate the occasion of his birthday, but to also acknowledge his "official" entry into young manhood. During one of these times, while our family was together along with his grandparents, we each took a turn to encourage and charge Benjamin as we imparted our love to him. One of the primary things we exhorted him in was to never leave being a child before the Lord even though he would be learning to put on the strengths of manhood for his "outer man" and functioning in the world.

  

In other words, Matthew and others of us were encouraging Benjamin in his coming forth as a young man while highlighting that, even so, when it comes to the kingdom of God, it takes a certain child-likeness of heart in order to enter and abide. Being childlike has nothing to do with being childish, immature, or carrying on as some kid. It is the quality of heart and faith that is necessary in order to walk with the Lord in the Spirit. Let's look at some of the qualities of child-likeness.

Trusting
I could spend forever talking about our need to trust our Father, Savior, and Friend. He is so worthy of our whole heart!! He is not One who will ever fail you, leave you, neglect you, abuse you, or use you in a way that that is manipulative or selfish. He is the only One worth putting our full trust in. We all know the scripture, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." (Prov. 3:5). This clues us into the fact that to walk with Him, everything in our lives must be submitted to Him with the same attitude as a child would have, saying in essence, "I don't know anything, but Lord God you know everything, and I know you are with me and leading me."

I often watch my children in order to learn from them. Their job is simple. All they need to do is look to, listen to, follow, trust, and obey Matthew and I. Walking with Jesus, the King of the kingdom, really is the very same. Looking at our Lord and trusting Him to reveal what we need to know and lead us and teach us keeps us living as little children before Him.

In my life, I have seen my sweet Lord grow me in trusting Him. We all have certain lines in our hearts and minds that we think we cannot cross. These "lines" show up as feelings like "I cannot trust Him in this certain area," or "I don't have the faith for this or that," or when we think we really won't be okay if we have to [fill in the blank]. Our good God, our sweet Father, is so faithful to cross our lines and extend His strong hands toward us for us to completely yield and trust Him. Is He big enough? Is He strong enough? We get to find out in real life experiences. As I jump off into the safety of His arms, I consistently find that He is more than capable.

Like her Mama, my six-year-old daughter, Kindle Adriel, has always had trouble with fear. With all of our other children, we have had to deal with them overtly setting their will against ours. You know, "Don't do that" and they do, or "Do this" and they don't, and we discipline them accordingly. But Kindle, even when she was a two and three year old, has seldom ever defied or disobeyed us because she so wants to please and do the right thing. But where she periodically gets off and sets her will against ours is when she becomes fearful and stops trusting us. So as parents, it is our job to train her heart by lovingly "crossing her lines" and requiring her to let go and completely trust us despite whatever fearful focus she is fixated upon, and helping her see that to refuse to do so is a matter of disobedience.

I remember one time when Matthew was walking across a parking lot with Kindle, holding her hand, and they came upon one of those big drains in the ground that is covered by a steel grate that is strong enough for a car to drive over. Kindle got spooked and literally stopped dead in her tracks. As Matthew tried to proceed, it was as if her feet were attached to the ground and she would not follow his lead.

"Come on, sweet girl," Matthew said.

"I'm scared," Kindle said tearfully, fearing there were "snakes and bears" down in that drain.

"I know you are scared, but I want you to trust me that there is nothing to be afraid of and walk with me over that grate because that is the way we need to go," Matthew replied as he looked into her eyes.

"But I can't," she returned.

"Yes you can, Kindle," Matthew replied. "You must believe what I am telling you and walk with me. To not do so would be to disobey."

"Okay, Daddy, I'll trust you," Kindle gave in, speaking through tears. They then walked across the drain grate, hand in hand. But you have to know my husband, Matthew. Though Kindle genuinely trusted and followed his lead, he could still tell that she was holding on to some fear. So no sooner than they walked across it, Matthew turned them around saying, "Oh that's fun. Let's do it again!" Kindle walked over it with him again, trusting a little more. Then he had them do it again, and again, and again. By the time it was all over, they were jumping up and down on that grate and Kindle was saying, "Look, Mama, I don't have to be scared anymore because I'm with Daddy!" This is really no different than what the Lord does with us. Will you let go and trust Him as a child?

Being open and vulnerable
Children are free with their hearts and will tell you everything they are thinking and feeling. When they get hurt, they cry and gush all over you and tell you what is wrong. When they express their affection for you, they crawl up into your lap and convey their simple but deep love with completely unedited speech. We can be like this with the Lord too! So many people think we have to come to the Lord perfectly with all of these well thought out and well-worded prayers. Some folks talk to Him as if He is an answering machine for them to leave a message on.

Don't come to the Lord with a prepared speech, a list, or a predetermined way to talk to Him. Talk to Him with whatever words come up and if later you recognize a better way to express your heart, you can then share with Him your clarification. Sing, cry, laugh, smile, and mourn before Him. Make any gestures toward him-lift your hands, kneel, stand, dance, etc.-that fit with what is in your heart. We don't have to hold back anything from Him. He loves us, and gave everything for us, even His only begotten Son. All He desires is that we give everything to Him, including our whole heart. He doesn't want robots who are programmed to say and do this or that-He wants our hearts! Hallelujah! Isn't that exciting?!

When I shut the door to my bedroom and I am all-alone, I am as a child before Him with my heart fully open and "out there" for Him. I begin to talk to Him and gaze at Him. I also start singing whatever is in my heart regardless of whether it rhymes or even sounds pretty. This place in my heart where I meet with Him now is the very same place as when I first began getting to know Him as I poured out my heart to Him while taking lengthy rides on my bicycle as a young girl. I encourage you too to just sing out your love for Him without editing to make it sound right, and pour out your heart to Him in honesty and faith. He knows our hearts, and He delights in our being completely unrehearsed and vulnerable in our coming to Him.

We also need to live this openly with the Lord before others. I used to think that I could only share my heart and be childlike with the people in my close circle of folks who really know that I felt were completely safe. What a lie! As I have let go and turned away from this deception, I have discovered that I am much more able to live out the life of Jesus. No matter where I am, I am learning to let Jesus come out of my mouth, my eyes, and my demeanor. It has led to thousands-yes, thousands-of opportunities because people are drawn to His life that they see. A heart that is "free indeed" is very rare these days.

The lady behind the cash register, for example, does not need to know my background or my heart for me to be who I am in God. Is she a safe, familiar person who has faithfully shared life with me through thick and thin? Of course not, but that fact does not change who I am in Christ and should not hinder me in expressing His life. I can be an open vessel before Him and let His life and light and love pass through. I might say to that cashier, "Are you okay? You seem sad about something." Such encounters often open up a place in them for us to be a light. Or what about being around relatives who do not understand you and think you are "hyper-religious" and strange? Don't be intimidated, just simple be a lamb with an eager, touchable heart.

Embrace your weakness

It is okay that we are little, lacking, and limited. We do not have to know the next step(s). We don't have to have everything controlled. Likewise, we do not have to have all the answers. The Lord alone is God, and He is so big! Don't avoid the fact that you-a child-need someone much bigger than yourself or mere man. It is not only okay to feel our weaknesses, but it is to our advantage to readily embrace them with a humble heart of faith in looking to the Lord if we are ever going to know His power in our lives and abide in His kingdom.

A few years ago, I was asked to write some articles about something the Lord had put on my heart. I was so thankful for the opportunity, but immediately I knew that I had a big problem-I can't write! I was never taught how to communicate on paper, and, in all honesty, I really think I stink at it. I have always enjoyed teaching and sharing, and I know how to verbally communicate what is on my heart, but writing is a whole different matter. I truly felt as though I had been asked to climb Mount Everest, and I had the sickest feeling in my gut until I became of faith that it can only be Him anyway (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 4:13). So crying out to my faithful Lord, I said, "Lord, in my weakness You are strong. In and of myself, I can't, but You can." As I began to write the first article, I sure felt weak, silly and kind of dumb, and yet I could sense His strength working in and through me. I encourage you sisters to embrace your weaknesses while looking to the Lord, and run to Him, ask Him questions, wait upon Him, listen to what He says, and act upon what He gives you in faith. In so doing, you will see His power and glory.

Be simple
We can be so complicated at times and leave the Lord's "easy yoke and light load" (Matt. 11:28-30). As children of God, we must lay down all of our thoughts and the mental traffic that can get us so tied up. The Lord is God and doesn't need our help in figuring things out for Him, or presenting Him options of what He ought to do, or advising Him as if He needed a counselor. Entering the kingdom as a child involves a certain simplicity of heart. It's not that we are to be naïve and gullible to everything that comes along. The Lord wants us to have discernment, which is not contrary to child-likeness. But we cannot be complicated and overly analytical and expect to flow in the life of God. Wait on the Lord, follow Him, and let go in your heart to the profound simplicity of His heart and kingdom.

Enjoy Him
Children sure don't have a problem with this one, do they? Neither should we in relating to the Lord. Simply said, we do not need to "stay above it all," living detached as a passive observer. Be an active participator in the kingdom of our Lord. Enjoy the His life. Enjoy who He is and what He is like. His abundant life is so incredibly rich.

 

 

Kindling Publications

6303 CR 233

Tyler, Texas 75707-3147

USA

www.KindlingPublications.com