Childlike Encounters

 This time of year is filled with wonder, especially when seen through the eyes of a small child. 

This Christmas season has begun with a sense of wonder as I've been gifted the insights of my 5 year old daughter. 

She's really been getting into the Christmas carols. Her yearning to remember the words to songs I've sung for four decades, as well as her eagernes to point out every lit Nativity as we drive around town, causes my own heart to return to the wonder of our Savior's birth. The awe of God becoming man and dwelling among "us" so we might know Him and learn the ways of the Kingdom is nothing short of a miracle. Even talking about the real story of St. Nick and how he loved Jesus so much that he wanted to gift those left fortunate, stirs my own heart to give with a renewed expectation that God will show up in a special way for each person I'm wanting to bless.

Why not stop to ponder the miracle that made a way for us to receive fullness of life?

We were listening to an “angel” from the live Nativity we attended the other night sing the popular “Mary, did you know?” song and I was drawn to tears. The lines about the miracles of Jesus-- the benefits of salvation living inside us now-- struck a chord more deeply this hearing as I considered how the world has changed in the past year and a half. Our need for heaven's invasion through the hands and feet of Jesus-- us, the Church, is so evident in our families, communities, classrooms, schools, and government. We need an encounter with the Truth, the Healer, and the Way--Jesus!

But for my little girl, this song struck a different chord, a chord of wonder. She was overcome with the wonder of a tiny baby living and growing inside his mom's belly, her carrying the Christ-child who would revolutionize the world. So on the dark drive home from the farm that provided our incredible experience, I found a newer version of this song by Maverick City Music (Nov 2021). As we listened my heart errupted with emotion again because it calls the things that are not (right now) into being. It evokes the "WHO are YOU becoming?" question as well as "What’s the greatness you carry inside you that's sure to change generations?" You were born for this season. You were born to overcome, to grow, to stretch into the real you… born to impact generations to come.

Remember Jesus talking about having childlike faith?

"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." Mathew 18:1-4 (ESV)

The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is one who humbles themself like a child. When I imagine childlike faith (or humble faith) I picture myself having simplistic thoughts that lead to simple believing. Faith comes easy for those who trust, who easily forgive, and who recognize the sincerety of Father God's love for them. Children expect their parents to follow through on their word, unless we've taught them we aren't faithful to our promises. Children just believe because "WHY NOT?" Childlike faith challenges my heart to look up to heaven and take God at His word. All the time. If He said something in His word I can believe it. I can take the promises of the bible and believe they are for today, right now, right here in my circumstances-- raising 5 teenage step children every other week, and a five year old fulltime. God sees my family and He will be faithful to us in every turn, twist, and deep drop.

Put into Action

Yesterday our little daughter crawled into bed early in the morning and began sharing about a dream she'd had that was centered around fear. We took the moment to invite God to come clear away any attack of the enemy to sneak into our lives intended to stop the work of God in our family. We thanked God for his faithful presence. Then I flipped on the light to engage further with this moment that beckoned the three of us to rise with truth on our hearts. Our devotional was perfect for that particular moment-- it addressed how fear steals our faith to believe that all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). It challenged my husband, myself, and our littlist to recognize that fear can actually draw the very thing we are most afraid of to happen in our lives because we've opened a "door" in our thoughts to question God's goodness, His faithfulness, His protection, etc. The enemy slips in through this doorway we've opened by agreeing with his lies and he begins to steal rob, kill, and destroy. Our daughter's dream was a perfect real-life connection for her.

With the Holy Spirit's leading we engaged in an activation. We each opened our palms and gave our specific fears to Jesus. Then we asked Father God for a gift in exchange. Our daughter heard God's voice right away, "He gave me a ring, Mom!"

"What does it mean?" I asked, surprised and excited at how quickly she heard from heaven.

"It's God's faithfulness!" She said excitedly.

Wow. This was so special to me. God, you're reaching down to remind me of your faithfulness through the eyes of my child. You remind me that you're not forsaking us, ever! That you will be faithful to all your promises for my family. (Another story for another day, but I had handed over the fear of our older children never coming back to Jesus. I've been reminding myself of the scripture that says, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentence." 2 Peter 3:9 ESV

So I took her gift of the ring-- God's faithfulness, for my own. You know you can do that right? If someone gets a word from God and you need it, too, it's ok to just thank Jesus for speaking and ministering to you, too. He loves to give good gifts to His children.

The Lord gave me a wrap-around security armor and my husband got a royal rob of sonship. These were gifts given in response to some things we'd been talking amongst ourselves the night before. God is so faithful! And because we'd had a child come share a dream and the Holy Spirit helped make the connected with the devotional, we were able to move past what was wrong with our beliefs, close the door to fear, and engage with the gifts of God-- received by faith! Isn't that so cool?!

Take a moment to listen. Ponder. Reflect. You were chosen to carry the glory of God in being fully YOU. Your significant value is truly connected to your Maker's great love for you in the gift of His Son Jesus.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you,will coninue his work untnil it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Philippians 1:6 (NLT)