As a child...come...

For who has despised the day of small things?

Zechariah 4:10a

The world loves the spectacular. God has proven that He is certainly capable of the extraordinary, but He often chooses to work through the ordinary and seemingly insignificant. In this way He demonstrates His love and His power.

Throughout history, God's answer to a critical time was to send a baby. Isaac, Moses, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus were all born as answers to a time of need. When God delivered the Israelites from the Midianites’ oppression, He intentionally used an army of merely three hundred men to defeat a vastly larger army. When Jesus selected His first disciples He could have enlisted a multitude to follow Him, but He chose twelve. When He fed a multitude, five loaves of bread and two fish from a boy's lunch were sufficient in the hands of the Lord.

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed (Matt. 13:31–32). The mustard seed was the smallest seed known to the Jews, yet it grew into an enormous tree. He also likened God's kingdom to leaven that is hardly noticeable but raises the entire batch of dough (Matt. 13:33). When children came to Jesus, His disciples assumed they were an annoyance and chased them away (Matt. 19:13–15). But Jesus said that in order to enter His kingdom, people must approach God as a child.

Christians often accept the adage “the bigger the better.” We measure success by the number of people involved in our ministry. We seek spectacular displays of God's power. We must learn to view success as God does. God is interested in the heart; He is pleased with obedience.

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Oh how people love to overcomplicate things.   It is apparently a genetic trait since I don't believe I have encountered any individual who doesn't express the simple as complex. 

Jesus said, as you read above, to approach God you must come as a child. 

To be truthful, I was saved at a very young age.  Can remember where, can sort of remember when. Can remember the bright sunshine coming in the tall thin window of the Pastor's office that Sunday morning that I publicly told the rest of the Church that I was now part of the family of God. 

In those years and by way of many many Pastors, Elders, Deacons and Trustees, many things were brought up concerning God's Word.  Many things taught.  The problem to my mind was understanding context and what was being said in what I was reading.  A child trying to read as a child.  To be honest, the way the King James version of the Bible is written, it was far from helpful.  Wasn't until many years later that I was introduced to the New American Standard Bible. It was written from the original manuscripts, using today's version of English. It really amazed me back then that the King James was so popular. 

At any rate, even in my teenage years I still felt like I hadn't grown in Christ.  Still was just beginning to understand things.  I wasn't an openly rebellious child. Just wasn't the most obedient. Looking back I can see in many ways where God proved Scripture to me in that He has never left me nor forsaken me.  He knows full well that I gave Him plenty of reasons to.  As impetuous as children can be I thought I understood what His plans for me were and I got ahead of Him. I really never want to visit that dark sinkhole of life again. He pulled me up out of it when, as children often do, they get to the point of admitting they can't do something and need help.

It was then that Jesus and the Spirit began cleaning me up again and again I began understanding things as He was teaching. This time around sitting still to listen became more important. Now, as I have been learning to interact with my Savior as both a child and Him as my friend of friends.  Life isn't the same.  It had taken years to unlearn what I had learned of what it meant to be a Christian. Putting adult lessons onto a child isn't the right way to go.  A child learns to eat meat, you don't just shove it in their mouth and hope for the best.

My friend all this is shared to show that to come as a child, to come with unwavering belief.  To come with no doubts. To come unconditionally is where it is at.  To simply believe because Jesus said so.  I don't need a list of do's and don't's.  I need to trust and obey.  If we begin with Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and Spirit, to love your neighbor as yourself.  To pray constantly. To focus on Psalms, hymns and Spiritual songs, making melody in your heart to God.  Where do you have time to dwell on what you have gained or lost?  Some, even today, think you have a few screws loose if you say you talk to Jesus and He to you.  

Jesus said that He would be with us if we come to Him. 

The world, and even some in the professing Church will teach you that it's complicated to live for Jesus. Only the chosen can do so. Look at what Jesus said about hindering the children from coming to Him. He didn't separate which kids from the rest for any reason. He opens His arms to all who would come. 

Life only appears to be complicated. Come as a child to Jesus and take up His yoke. For His burden is easy and His load is light.  God help me! Is still a complete prayer.  God I need you! Is still a complete prayer. No words at all to a grieving person towards God is still a prayer in the eyes of the Spirit of God. 

Don't overcomplicate your decision to come to Christ.  Don't weigh it against what you gain or might lose. That's your sin nature talking.  Jesus is waiting just for you with open arms and an assurance just for you to save you.