As children, we trust our parents to take care of us, provide for us and love us unconditionally. Personally, I thought my parents were superhuman, unable to be hurt by anything. I put my full faith in them. This same childlike faith in our earthly parents often lacks for our heavenly Father.
Children come without pride, they demonstrate dependence, they are open and frank, and sincere. I don’t know about you but I love watching children explore the world with curiosity and also mimic what their parents are doing.
Furthermore, when we were children, we seldom had a worry or care in the world. A child’s heart has yet to be hardened by the ways of the world. No matter what age you will be not be held away from worry unless you have complete faith in God that He will be right there with you.
Childlike Faith
Child-like means trust, joy, obedience, forgiveness, and curiosity. Childlike faith is very humble and makes us realize that we are dependent on the one, true Father. It is wonder and awe of what Jesus did for us.
“Let the children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17.
The Bible does not tell us to be childish. Jesus is referring to humility, a child who is without ambition, pride, and self-righteousness. The faith God looks for is humble, unwavering, and trusting – like a child. We depend on God’s provision for everything.
Total Dependence on the Father
Embracing child-like faith means we embrace our call to His kingdom, one of continual dependence on God’s grace. We know our place as children of God. And we know that we are going to get what He has promised us – a great inheritance.
“Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.” 1 John 3:1.
As a child of God, we have total trust, dependence, and love for the Father. God knows more than we could ever imagine and will answer us with exactly what we need. His ways are revealed to those who simply trust in His Son, His Word, and His promises. Because of our trust in God, we are more able to experience comfort in Him.
Imitating the Father
One of the things I love most about children is how they imitate their parents. For instance, one day we were hanging out with my husband’s friends and their daughter started to take her fake cell phone out of her purse and pretend that someone else was on the other end. The curiosity of trying new things is amazing!
As we mature in our faith, God molds us more and more into his image. We know he has all good attributes which are listed again and again throughout the bible. We are called to imitate his faithfulness, loyalty, patient love, compassion, grace and mercy towards others.
Humbling ourselves into childlike faith is not always easy but it is necessary. We need to turn to God, our one true source of strength and wisdom. He will lead us into a deeper, more mature faith that will keep up focused on the object of our faith – Jesus Christ.
I challenge you to come before the Lord with full trust and dependence and be open to His love and commandments. Pray that he will mold you more and more into the person you are meant to be.