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What Childlike Faith Looks Like to the Father

THIS IS WHAT MATTERS MOST Reading What Childlike Faith Looks Like to the Father 5 minutes Next Do You Want an Open Heaven?

A child knows her Father’s heart. She is secure and has faith that her Father will only do what’s best for her. That is what being childlike is all about.

I’m in the middle of my morning devotions, like I am most mornings, and my mind is wandering. This time though, it’s not about my to-do list or future concerns. I’ve learned to keep a scratch pad beside me and write those things down because they don’t need my immediate attention. I haven’t even finished my coffee yet so there is no way I’m going to solve the day’s problems right here and now, so those thoughts can wait.

You could categorize what I’m thinking about as a rabbit trail, but over the years, I’ve learned to give myself freedom to explore these new paths because they almost always end with worship. Yes, that’s right. Worship.

Worship is the place where I encounter Holy Spirit without distraction, and where the Father shares His heart with me. I gain wisdom when I worship, which happens to be the theme for the morning’s Bible devotional.
A line in the writing sparked a new thought: what does it mean to be childlike? Does the Father want placid obedience, or does He want passionate exuberance?

PLACID OR PASSIONATE

My Boy is strong-willed. When he was young if he didn’t want to eat it, wear it, or go there, he wouldn’t. Some might say he was stubborn, that’s what I was called a lot, too. But I love his fire. Not usually in that exact moment, but afterward when I had time to cool off because I was also strong-willed, I really appreciate his passion, fire and conviction.

Childlike is commendable in faith and it’s necessary to enter the Kingdom of God. The image that often depicts childlikeness is one that pictures a child looking lovingly up at a parent, or peacefully following behind. I’m not sure how or why this visual of childlikeness is celebrated more than others but it’s never been my experience – not from the stories my parents tell me about myself as a child, or what I experienced with my own Boy.

CHILDLIKE = TRUST

To me, being childlike is trusting your mom or dad are always going to come for you. They are always going to rescue you, no matter what situation you get yourself into.
Did I mention I was strong-willed (aka stubborn)? Which means that I got myself into all kinds of trouble and precarious situations because I did what I wanted. My earliest memory is of myself running out of the front door because I was about to get a spanking for “doing what I wanted”. (It was the 70s, don’t judge my parents for spanking me – that’s what discipline looked like for most kids.) I was 2 years old. I know this because we moved into a different home by the time I was 3.

 

Yes, I was disciplined in the “this will hurt me more than it hurts you” way a lot more than my brother. A LOT more. But I never, ever lost faith that my parents would become fed up and leave me to clean up my mess all on my own. (Except that one time when I was under age drinking and threw up all over the car when my dad came to pick me up – that time, I had to clean it up by myself.)

If you grew up in a home where you didn’t have the same security as I had, there’s hope for you. If you grew up in a home similar to mine, there’s even better news. Our heavenly Father is better than the best earthly father. 

A child knows his Father’s heart. He is secure and has faith that his Father will only do what’s best for him. That is what being childlike is all about.

 

 

 

It may not be what I started reading this morning but it’s where I wound up. It’s enough to know that today.

Perfect love can only be experienced through the Father’s Heart. There’s nothing like the Father’s Heart, which overflows with abundant love for you – simply because you exist. You are designed to receive love and acceptance. Stop searching where you will never find it and come home into his embrace, come home to the Father’s Heart. Father’s Heart worship flags express His loving heart toward you.

 

Father’s Heart worship flags are part of the Fire Starters Signature Collection and are one of the most popular worship flags among flagging worshippers. Buy them today, https://catchthefireworshipflags.com/fathersheart

 

 

 

 

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