06/27/2021
Are we childlike in our faith? Do we seek God with our whole heart each day? Do we obey His commandments without doubting, or veering from them? When we feel that we have sinned in some way is our contrition wholehearted, complete, and our desire for forgiveness asked with tears and heartfelt sincerity? God commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, but are we prepared to apply this same degree of heart to every aspect of our faith?
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!”
Psalm 119:10 ESV
As a boy There were a number of things that attracted my attention, and when they did I pursued them relentlessly to the point of obsession. When we studied Roman and Greek history in school I drew detailed murals of battle scenes, and could tell you about Troy, Sparta, and the other city states. When I needed a science fair project I threw myself into the study of the human heart, and drew an intricate depiction of it, complete with labels for its every part, complete with the function of each. And, when I later became interested in astronomy I did more than just read books about that subject, I memorized them as I read… I knew every planet, moon, what they were comprised of, their circumference, diameter, distance between each one, distance from the sun, and too many other facts to list here. Children have a tendency to throw themselves wholeheartedly into the things that they find interesting, fun, or worthy of their attention. God wants us to pursue Him with that same kind of dedication, and enthusiasm. He wants us to love Him, and seek Him, to the exclusion of all else… childlike in our intensity, humility, and with all our heart.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:1-4 ESV
Seeking God in this way, in more than simple innocence, but with all our heart, and to the point where all other things in our lives have become trivialized; this is what our Father wants from us. We often say that God wants to be first in our lives, but in truth, He wants to be EVERYTHING to us. He wants to be the absolute focus of our lives. He longs to hear us truthfully say these words…
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:10-11 ESV
Can we say this today? Where is the child in us?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the zeal with which your Holy Spirit teaches out hearts to seek you. Thank you Lord for the child in each of us that seeks you to the exclusion of all else. Thank you for the example we have in Jesus who has lead us in the humility with which we approach you, and live out our lives. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, who is our all in all, and everything we seek in our lives. Praised be your name for each blessing we receive from you, and for the joy and satisfaction that knowing you brings us. Merciful are you Father for sending your Son Jesus to show us the the child within each and every one of us, and to teach us the importance of seeking you just as children do in their approach to faith… with unbound enthusiasm, reckless abandon, and the total love and focus that the humility and innocence in them makes ready within us. Pour out your love and grace on us Abba, and wash us clean in the blood of Jesus so that we can approach you in righteous perfection. Find in us the desire to seek and know you with all our hearts, and call us your worthy children as we do. Seat us at your table Father, and then relish in us as we dance about you in the overflowing enthusiasm of our love for you.
“but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.””
Matthew 19:14 ESV
Rich Forbes