Become LIke a Little Child - Daily Devotional February 7th, 2010

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 40, Mark 10, Job 6, Romans 10

Become Like a Little Child

Jesus said if we do not receive the kingdom of God like a little child we will never enter it. (Mark 10:15) That's an important statement. In fact, our eternal destiny depends on this, so it is imperative that we understand what it means.

I think Jesus was referring to the way a little child trusts implicitly. If you tell them something they don't question it, they just believe. Just about all parents have played a game with their children where they ask them to jump into their arms, often times off a dock or from the side of a swimming pool. The trust a child places in their parent is a graphic example of what Jesus was talking about. They feel safe to jump because they have no doubt that their mom or dad will catch them. We can feel safe in God's arms.

Psalm 131 is another portion of Scripture that illustrates this principle. David wrote, "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty." (Verse 1) A wonderful description of the innocence of a child. Oh, how the Lord desires for us to take on this attribute. "I do not concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me." (Verse 1b NLT) A child leaves complicated matters up to their parents. They don't worry if there will be enough food for dinner tomorrow or how the electric bill is going to be paid. It doesn't even enter their minds; they have complete trust in their parents to provide for them. That's the kind of trust the Lord wants us to place in him.

Then verse 3 in Psalm 131 says "I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." A few years ago I was reading this Psalm and came to that phrase, "like a weaned child." I had absolutely no understanding what that meant. As I was pondering this I just breathed a prayer and said, "Lord, what does that mean?" immediately I heard a quiet voice in my head that said, "That is like Joel is with Leslie (his mother)." Joel was my three-year-old grandson. He was totally attached to his mother. You could see that the sun rose and set in her as far as he was concerned. He was completely dependent on her. It was like a light went on in my understanding. A weaned child is one who has had his sustenance come from his mother for a number of months (sometimes years!) and has learned to be totally dependent.

This is how the Lord wants us to be with him; totally dependent, completely attached, having our sun rise and set with him, fully trusting him for every single facet of our lives. Not being proud or haughty, not becoming worried about our life, what we will eat or what we will wear. (Luke 12:22) The Scriptures are so great to paint these word pictures for us of what God desires for us. He says in Luke 12:32 that it is has pleased the Father to give us the kingdom. Think about that!! It pleases the Father to give us the kingdom!! How great is that?

Make it your goal today to become more childlike in trusting God. I know this is something I need to work on.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Genesis 41, Mark 11, Job 7, Romans 11

God is good all the time,

Naomi Brinkman