Coming to God as a Child (Part 7): Fix It

By David Ryser

It’s every parent’s nightmare.  Your young child has come to you with a broken toy.  As you peer down at the jumbled collection of wires, gears, and other assorted gizmos, your heart sinks.  What a mess!  Then you look at your child.  She’s trying to be brave, but her chin is quivering and her eyes are full of tears.  She looks up at you.  She believes you can do anything.  Then she squeaks out two little words.

“Fix it.”

Just thinking back on that scene, replayed many times, still makes my blood run cold.  And now I have grandchildren.  This means I have fresh opportunities to stare stupidly at the spilled insides of unspeakably complicated contraptions.

And into the eyes of a trusting child who wants me to, “Fix it.”

Jesus taught that those who wished to enter into the Kingdom of God (also called the Kingdom of Heaven) had to do so as little children (Matthew 18:3, among others).  One of the endearing--if somewhat misguided--qualities of small children is that they believe their parents can do anything.  Including fixing anything…especially a favorite toy.  And it doesn’t matter how it got broken or who broke it.

Anytime someone asks, “How did this happen?” that’s code for, “I don’t know how to fix this thing!”

When something is broken--a life, for example--why do we not bring it to God?  Unlike an earthly parent, God is able to fix whatever is broken in our lives.  And He’s good at it.  If not for “repaired” murderers, adulterers, and other assorted weirdoes, our Bible would be a pamphlet instead of a book.

Why do we take our broken lives to our friends instead of to God?

A two-year-old child would not take a broken toy to another two-year-old to fix it.  She takes it to an adult.  Usually to a parent.  To someone who knows more about it than she does.

Why don’t we take our broken lives to God?

From reading the Bible and life experience, I have discovered at least three reasons for why people do not go to God with their brokenness.

First, some people keep their broken lives as a pet.  They rehearse their troubles to anyone who will listen.  They do not do this to find a solution to their problems.  They do it to get attention.

One example of this sort of thing occurred when I was in Graduate School.  A classmate of mine worked as a prayer counselor for a nationally-known ministry.  His job was to answer phone calls and pray with the callers.  A person called one day wanting prayer that the Social Security Administration would approve an application for disability benefit payments.  This person was physically disabled, was unable to work, and needed the money.  The prayer counselor said, “I have good news for you!  You don’t need disability payments!  How about I pray that God would heal you so you could work?”  The caller responded, “No, no, no, no, no!”  Then the caller began speaking slowly as if to a dimwit, “I-want-you-to-pray-for-me-to-receive-my-disability-payments.”

There is no cure for this.  If you come across someone who is keeping their broken life as a pet, run for your life!

The second reason people do not bring their broken lives to God is that they do not believe God can fix them.  They don’t put it that bluntly, of course.  But when presented with the opportunity to dare to hope that their lives will get better, they begin to describe all of the reasons why God can’t fix them.  Why their situation is unique.  Why, in effect, their brokenness is bigger than God.

Jesus ran into this type of problem at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-7).  When He asked a lame man if he wanted to be healed, the man never did answer the question.  Instead, he listed all of the reasons why God couldn’t do it.

Like the man at the pool, people who believe their broken lives are bigger than God need to meet Jesus.  When they discover how big He is, the size of their brokenness is put into perspective.  What happens next is up to them.

The third reason, and related to the second, that people don’t bring their broken lives to God is because they believe God won’t (not can’t, but won’t) fix them.  Something they’ve done--some sin or failure--is beyond God’s ability to forgive and repair.  This mixture of self-centeredness, arrogance, and stupidity can be difficult to overcome.  I know…from personal experience.  Fortunately for people like us, the Bible is full of stories about people whose lives were full of sin and failure.  And God fixed them.  Some of them became heroes of the faith.

I have yet to run across a sin-paralyzed Christian whose misdeeds were worse than David’s.  Or a Christian whose failures were bigger than those of Abraham, Moses, Peter, or any number of people in the Bible who went on to greatness in God’s kingdom.

We need to get over ourselves.  The attention we get from keeping our problems as pets is pathetic.  And it’s temporary.  Questioning God’s ability or willingness to fix our broken lives does nothing to improve our lot.  No one ever received the help they needed from God by doubting Him.

And if we come into God’s kingdom as children, then we must come believing our heavenly Father can fix anything...and that He loves us enough to do it.

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 6): Catch Me!

By David Ryser

My one-year-old grandson was hanging upside-down as I held onto him by one of his ankles.  He was laughing and squealing with delight.  I was on the verge of having a heart attack.

And I was learning something about the Kingdom of God.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells us that we must enter the Kingdom of Heaven as a little child.  I have discovered that little children do weird things.  For example, they like to climb up onto a couch or chair and wait for you to come by.  As you walk past them, they will leap from their perch and shout, “Catch me!”

Adults do not do this.

When you hear the words, “Catch me!” you had better be ready to catch somebody, because that child is already in the air.  The decision to jump has been made and executed.  Only the catch is in question.

And it is a question only for the one doing the catching.

My grandson played a variation of the “catch me!” game with his father.  When being held, he would suddenly launch himself backwards out of his father’s arms.  His father would catch him, and the two of them would have a big laugh about it.

The problem is that no one had bothered to tell grandpa about this game.

I don’t blame my grandson for this oversight.  He was only a year old.  And grandpa is the first person in a baby’s life that throws him up into the air and makes him laugh until he pukes.  So how was he to know of my ignorance?

Does this sound like a recipe for disaster?

So I’m standing in the middle of our living room, holding my grandson in my arms.  Suddenly, and without warning, he launches himself backwards out of my grasp.  Down he goes--laughing all the way--toward the floor.  I’m flailing in the air trying to snatch onto any available body part before he lands on his head.

At the last moment, I grab onto one of his ankles.

So now he is hanging upside-down with his head mere millimeters from the floor.  And he is laughing!  And it’s not just polite laughter…he’s cackling like a hen that’s just laid 3 eggs.  I’m gasping for breath (and trying to retrieve my wits) as my heart attempts to blast through my rib cage.

And as I look at my grandson, I realize that he never at any time thought he was in danger.  And I ask myself, “Why can’t I be like that with God?”

Because I’m not.

When I’m standing on life’s “couch” and God is passing by, I don’t leap and cry out, “Catch me!”  I don’t launch out for Him with total abandon knowing He will catch me.  Instead, I want to be sure He will catch me before I jump.  And I won’t just take His word for it.  I want to see in the Bible that He promises to catch me.  Then I want to go to Bible College to make sure what the Bible says is true.  And then I want to go to Graduate School to craft my theology of jumping.  And then…well, you get the idea.

By the time I’m ready to jump off of the couch, God has already moved on…a long time ago.

The problem is that we don’t trust God.  And where does this mistrust come from?  We aren’t born with it.  If we were, then little children wouldn’t play the “catch me!” game.  So where does it come from?  And when did it happen?

I don’t know.

By that, I mean that I know why and how this mistrust of God operates in me.  But each of us has a unique history, so the reason you mistrust God may be different than mine.  Whatever the source of our mistrust, we must deal with it if we are ever going to have adventures in God’s Kingdom.

And everyone has this problem to one degree or another.

How many times do we read in the Bible where God or an angel appears to someone and says, “Don’t be afraid…”?  Even after God gave orders to Joshua, Gideon, and others, He commanded them to be of good courage and dealt with their fear.  Paul exhorted Timothy not to be timid, but rather to be courageous in his ministry.

Why would it be any different for us?

If we are going to go on God’s adventures and do exploits in the Kingdom of God, we must learn to trust Him.  We need to overcome our mistrust of God.  We will face the source of our mistrust and overcome it.

And it won’t be a lot of fun.

We will need to be willing to see the truth about ourselves.  And the process will involve some pain.  Maybe a lot of pain.  But until we trust God, we will never follow Him with total abandon.

Like a one-year-old child flying out of his father’s arms saying, “Catch me!”

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 5): Mimics

By David Ryser

Somewhere there is a picture of me taken when I was a small child.  In the picture, I am wearing grown-up clothes.  And I look ridiculous.  In part this is due to the fact that the clothing is way too big for me.  And in part it is because I am wearing one of my grandmother’s old dresses!

That picture could be worth a lot of money if it fell into the wrong hands.  And if I had any money.

The point that I’m making is that small children love to play dress-up.  What parent has not been amused by their young child clomping around in their shoes or putting on an article of their clothing?  It’s not just that the child wants to look grown up.  The child wants to be like the parent.

And this desire is expressed in ways other than in the choice of fashion wear.

Children also copy the mannerisms of their parents.  Gestures and speech patterns, along with attitudes and behaviors, are picked up by children.  Every parent has experienced the discomfort of hearing the child say something that sounded clever when the parent said it, but doesn’t sound so funny when a three-year-old says it.

And sooner or later, every parent is faced with the truth that children do not grow up to be what you taught them to be.  They grow up to be what you are.

Why?  Because all children are mimics.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells His disciples that all who enter the kingdom of Heaven must become as a little child.  In Ephesians 5:1, Paul encourages believers to be imitators of God as beloved children.  The Greek word translated “imitators” (or “followers” in the KJV) is μιμήτής, and is where we get our English word “mimic.”

We are called to be mimics of God.

How can we mimic someone we do not know intimately?  How can we imitate someone we are not around?  How can we copy someone if we cannot see or hear them?

We can’t.

If we are going to be imitators of God, we must find a way to be in His presence.  To see what He is doing…and how He does it.  To hear what He is saying.  And we need to be in an intimate relationship with Him so we can know His heart.

This is easier said then done.

A pastor friend of mine has determined that until God tells him otherwise, he is going to spend all of his Bible reading time in what he calls the “red print.”  His reading of the scriptures will be restricted to the four Gospels, with an emphasis upon the words of Jesus.  He wants to focus on what Jesus did and said.  As the Holy Spirit breathes life into the words on the page, my friend believes he will come to know Jesus more.  And the better he knows Jesus, the more able he will be to mimic Him.

It sounds like a good plan to me.

You see, having entered into the Kingdom of Heaven as little children, we begin to grow in the knowledge of God.  All good parents desire for their children to grow up and become responsible adults.  That little one clomping around in your shoes today will someday grow into them.

A friend once shared with me a vision she had concerning me.  She saw me as a little child with big shoes.  She said they looked like oversized clown shoes on me.  They were much too big for me.  I was having trouble just walking around in them.  As she was considering this odd sight, and wondering what would become of me, God spoke to her.  He said, “He will grow into them.”

I didn’t much appreciate it when she shared it with me.  But I’ve not forgotten it.

So although we enter the Kingdom of Heaven as children and maintain a childlike trust in our heavenly Father, His desire is that we grow in our knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:15-21; 3:14-19, among others).  He wants us to grow into the “shoes” He has prepared for us.  He wants us to become and do what we were created to be and do (Ephesians 2:10).

He wants us to be mimics of Him.

God desires that we talk like Him, act like Him, and love like Him.  We are the only Bible some people will ever read.  We are the only Jesus some people will ever see.  When people observe us and get to know us, will this experience give them any inkling of what God is really like?

Maybe.  It depends.  How good of a mimic are you?  As good as a six-year-old?

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 4): Total Dependency

By David Ryser

In Matthew 18:1, Jesus’ disciples came to Him asking Him to settle a dispute.  They wanted to know how to be great in the Kingdom.  Jesus called a little child and set him in their midst (18:2).  Then He told them that they had to become like little children to enter the Kingdom (18:3).  And they had to humble themselves like a little child to become great in the Kingdom (18:4).

Did this settle the dispute?  Not according to Luke 22:24.

What is it about little children that makes them great in their fathers’ eyes?  There are a number of characteristics of little children that fit into this category.  One is that they know they are totally dependent upon their parents.

And they have no pride.

What parent has not experienced a day when their child exhibited less than ideal behavior?  In fact, the child may have been a little rat all day.  The parent may have reached for the telephone book in an attempt to contact an exorcist.  It was a rough day.

So what happened at suppertime?

When the child was served, what did the child do?  Did the child pull up to the table with a contrite look on his face and say, “Father, I’ve been a bad child today.  I am unworthy to partake of the food you have provided for me.  I am ashamed to eat.”

Certainly not!

That little rascal takes his seat at the table and piles the food onto his plate.  Then he begins to devour his food like a hunger-crazed timber wolf.  No apology.  No remorse.  No offer to pay for the food.  (Or the dinnerware.  Or the furniture.  Or the utilities. Or anything else.)  Does this child have no pride?

Bingo!

Little children have no pride.  They partake of the things you provide for them without regard for their behavior.  They instinctively know that they are entitled to your provision just because they are part of the family.

Somehow they know that receiving the things you have provided for them is based upon your goodness.  And not theirs.

Do we know this about God?

And this goes to the heart of the disciples’ dispute…and Jesus’ answer.

Whether we realize it or not, we are totally dependent upon God.  Everything we are and everything we have is a gift from God.  The very air we breathe is a gift from God.  Our next heartbeat is dependent upon the benevolence of God.

There is nothing we can give to God that was not His to begin with.  So what can we do for God that will bless Him?  What can we give to God that will touch His heart?

Consider again the small child.

Imagine your young child comes to you asking for some money to buy paper and crayons.  You give the money to the child.  The child buys a tablet and a box of crayons.  Then the child takes a piece of paper and his crayons, and draws a picture.  He brings the picture to you and says, “I drew this picture for you.  I love you, daddy/mommy!”

What does that do to your heart?  How do you react?

Do you say, “Oh for crying out loud!  I don’t want that!  I paid for that paper and those crayons!  You haven’t given me anything!  And it’s not even a good picture!”?

Of course not.

Your heart swells with joy.  Tears come to your eyes.  You say, “Thank you for the picture!  I love you, too, sweetheart!”  You receive the picture as you would a priceless treasure.  You display it for everyone to see…not because it is great art, but because it is an expression of your precious child’s love for you.

Is God any different?

Is there anything we can do for God that He cannot do for Himself?  Is there anything we can give to God that He cannot give to Himself?

Yes. Our Love.

God does not make us love Him. True intimacy requires the willing participation of another. He will not force us to love Him.

If God is going to receive this love, it must come from us.

We were created in the image of God to be in a love relationship with Him.  The Bible is full of examples that illustrate this truth.  But it is perhaps expressed no clearer than in Genesis 3:9.  Adam has sinned and is hiding from the presence of God.  Fellowship with God has been broken.

How will God react?  What will He say?

“Where are you?”  This is not a geography examination.  God knows where Adam is…and what he is wearing.  This is the cry of a Father’s heart when fellowship with a beloved child has been broken.

No lecture…not yet.  Just the cry of a broken heart.

So let’s enter and live in God’s kingdom as little children.  Let’s live confidently in total dependency upon God and His goodness.  Let’s receive His love and provision, and give Him the only thing we can give to Him--our love.

And when we obey and serve Him, let it be because we are loved…and because we love.

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 3): I Can!

By David Ryser

In one of his books, author Robert Fulghum makes an interesting observation about children.  If you go into a kindergarten classroom and ask “Who can sing?” or “Who can dance?” virtually all of the children raise their hands.  If you ask the same questions in a high school classroom, only a few of the students will raise their hands.

Why?  And what does this have to do with the Kingdom of God?

In Luke 18:17 (cf. Mark 10:15), Jesus said that it is impossible for someone to enter the Kingdom of God unless they receive it like a little child.  As Fulghum noted, little children have not yet become jaded by life.  They believe they can sing.  They believe they can dance.  They believe they can do anything they have not yet been told they cannot do.

They believe they can!  And they are right.

The fact is, everyone can sing and dance.  I may not be able to sing like a recording artist or dance like Fred Astaire, but I can sing and dance.  If I don’t sing and dance because I don’t have professional talent, I will never sing or dance.  Or play golf.  Or swim.  Or play a musical instrument.

Or minister….

What if the church I attend has a worship team or a choir?  Should I stop worshiping because I’m not talented enough?  Should I not spread the Gospel because there are professional preachers who are more eloquent than I?  Should I stop ministering God’s power to people because there are healing evangelists and miracle workers?

The obvious answer is, “Of course not!”  Just because I’m not a professional, I am not disqualified from worshiping, witnessing, and ministering.

But it’s more complicated than that.

What happens when I have tried and failed?  How do I react then?  Do I run off and hide like Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-10)?  Or do I react like a little child?

Small children not only believe they can do anything; they are not discouraged by failure.

Consider a toddler who is learning to walk.  How do children learn to walk?  They learn to walk by falling down…a lot.  Sometimes they fall on the padding God gave them.  But sometimes they fall awkwardly and even hurt themselves.

But they keep trying until they succeed.

Imagine if toddlers were like adults.  They would try to walk and then fall over.  Then they would say, “This walking stuff is not for me!  I tried it, and it doesn’t work!  I’m never going to do that again!”

The child would never learn how to walk.  Mothers would be lugging around twenty-five-year-old children.  It’s absurd!

But we do the very same thing in the spirit.  We fail in some way and quit.  We leave the advancement of God’s kingdom to the professionals.  We even pay them to be spiritual for us.

After all, the pastor can pray better than I can.  And counsel and comfort others better than I can.  And hear from God better than I can.

Little children are not like this.

Juan Carlos Ortiz tells a marvelous story about children and the Father’s heart.  When he would travel in ministry, he would often be gone from home for an extended time.  His wife would write to him regularly and let him know what was going on back at home.  Each of the children would also enclose a one-page letter.  The youngest child was a toddler who had not yet learned how to write.

But that didn’t discourage him.

The youngest child would take a crayon and scribble on a piece of paper to send to his dad.  When Pastor Ortiz would receive the letter from home, he treasured the scribbling of the toddler every bit as much as the letters from his other children.  Each was an expression of love for their father.  Each was equally precious to him.

Pastor Ortiz equated this with worship.

He began by saying, “I play a little guitar.”  Saying “I play a little guitar” is a lot like saying, “I do a little brain surgery.”  It means he’s not very good at it.  But that didn’t stop him from playing his guitar and pouring out his love for his heavenly Father by singing to Him.

How do you suppose God reacted?

Pastor Ortiz said he could imagine the Father turning to the angelic choir and saying, “Could you guys keep it down for a minute?  I want to hear Johnny scribble!”

So I’m not the best preacher.  Or the best teacher.  I’m not a prophet or an evangelist.  I’m not a professional singer or dancer.  I don’t know how to pray most of the time.

But I’m not going to let these things keep me from entering and living in the Kingdom of God.

Because, you see, I can scribble.

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 2): Pick Me Up!

By David Ryser

I was on my way to take a shower.  I had no idea I was about to learn something about the Kingdom of God.  And I didn’t know that an eight-month-old child would be my teacher.

I was in a hurry.  I was supposed to leave the house in a few minutes, and I needed to take a quick shower before dressing to go out.  As I was going down the hall to the shower, I noticed my grandson playing in the hallway near the bathroom door.  He was playing with a toy and was quite focused on what he was doing.

I smiled when I saw him playing with the toy.  I had bought it for him.  I had given it to him for his enjoyment.  I was pleased to see him having so much fun with it.  Not wanting to disturb him, I went to step around him and go on my way.

As I tried to go past him, he saw me.  What he did then changed how I viewed my relationship with God.

When he saw me, he got the biggest grin on his face.  He was so excited!  He put down the toy.  Then he put his little hands up in the air.

What do you suppose happened next?

Even though I was in a hurry, I stopped.  I picked that little guy up in my arms.  I tickled him and played with him.  After a few minutes, he tired of me.  I put him back down on the floor.  He went back to playing with his toy.  I went on to take my shower.

And I learned something about God.

In the Gospels, we real of numerous occasions where Jesus is interrupted while traveling or teaching.  In every case, Jesus stops doing what He is doing and gives His attention to the person who interrupted Him.  He never rebukes anyone for bothering Him.  And He doesn’t ignore someone who is attempting to get His attention.  He always stops and ministers to them.

What if they had not interrupted Him?

I imagine He would have gone on His way to wherever He was going.  Or He would have continued to do what He was doing.  It’s not as if Jesus didn’t have anywhere to go or anything to do.

But He always stopped when someone noticed Him and wanted His attention.

I’ve had opportunity to talk with people who say they want Jesus to come into their lives and their churches.  Many are frustrated because they don’t sense the presence of God in their daily lives and in their church services.  This confuses me a bit because Jesus always stops when someone wants His attention.

Reading the Bible and my life experiences have taught me that Jesus always comes when (and where) He is wanted.  And He always stays where He is accommodated.

Getting Jesus to come into your life or church is relatively easy.  You just have to want Him to come.  He always stops when someone notices Him and wants His attention.  I’ve heard people say something like, “God is too busy to pay attention to me.”

Is He?  Jesus was busy every time He stopped for someone.  But He stopped.

I suspect we have this thing backwards.  (Imagine that!)  I don’t think Jesus is too busy for us.  I think we’re too busy for Him.

Consider my grandson.

If he had continued playing with his toy when I went to go past him, I would have continued on my way to the shower without disturbing him.  I wouldn’t have been upset with him.  But we wouldn’t have had a couple of minutes together enjoying one another, either.

I wonder….

Could it be that we are so busy playing with the “toys” God had given to us that we don’t have time for Him?  Are we so focused on His blessings that we don’t notice Him walking by?  Worse yet, do we notice Him, but would rather play with our “toys” than spend a few minutes with Him?

Even an eight-month-old child knows better.

So we have a decision to make.  If we want to spend time with Jesus, we simply need to put down our “toys” and ask for His attention.

The “toys” will still be there after He has gone.

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com

Coming to God as a Child (Part 1): Pure Motives

By David Ryser

The look on my young daughter’s face pierced my heart.  She stood there looking at the coin in her hand.  Then she looked up at me.  The look on her face was one of sadness and disappointment.  She was insulted!

I had not intended to insult her.  My intention had been to bless her.  What had gone wrong?

When our children were small, my wife and I would give them age-appropriate chores to do.  These consisted mainly of picking up their toys and their clothes.  As a reward for doing their assigned tasks, we would pay them a small allowance each week.  They were required to save half of their allowance.  The other half was theirs to spend as they wished.  As their money would accumulate to a certain amount, we would go to the bank and the toy store.

It seemed like a good plan for teaching our children about responsibility, saving money, and the rewards of work.  And the plan worked…most of the time.

On this particular day, our daughter had done some extra work on her own that was in addition to her regular chores.  And she was so proud!  She excitedly came to me wanting to show me what she had done.  As I surveyed the results of her work, I wanted her to know how pleased I was.

So I decided to reward her.

I reached into my pants pocket, fished out a quarter, and handed it to her.  As she took the coin, her face fell.  Her smile disappeared.  She looked as though I had just slapped her.  I thought she was going to cry.

And God spoke to me.

In Luke 18:15-17 (see also Mark 10:13-16), Jesus was busy teaching concerning the Kingdom of God.  As He was teaching, people brought infants and children to Him in order for Him to touch them.  When His disciples objected, Jesus rebuked them.  He told them to allow the children to come to Him.

Then Jesus said something unexpected.

He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Luke 18:17; Mark 10:15).  That’s Bible-talk for, “Listen up!  I’m not kidding!  If you don’t receive the kingdom of God like a small child, it will be impossible for you to enter it!”

Look it up for yourself.  It’s right there…in plain Greek.

What does it mean to receive the Kingdom of God like a small child?  As a parent--and now as a grandparent--I’ve had ample opportunity to observe little children.  One thing I’ve noticed about them is that their motives are purer than the motives of adults.

When small children do something to please you, they don’t do it for pay.

When my daughter showed me her handiwork, all she wanted was my attention.  She wanted me to be excited about what she had done.  She wanted me to praise her.  She wanted me to express my approval of her.

She didn’t want a stupid quarter.

I realized my mistake immediately, but it was too late.  I showered my praise and approval on her.  But the moment was lost.  I had ruined it.

I would give anything to have that moment back.

Small children don’t want your stuff nearly as much as they want you.  They want your time.  They want your attention.  They want just to be with you.  The greatest gift you can give to a small child is the gift of yourself.

So how does this correspond to our relationship with God?

Too many times we serve God for the wrong reasons.  We pray only when we want something.  We give because we’ve been told that God will give back to us a hundred-fold.  We live the Christian life because we want to go to heaven when we die.

And then we wonder….

We wonder why God seems to be so far away.  Why we so rarely experience His presence.  Why we are never intimate with Him.  Why we feel so empty when we have everything we need in abundance.

Perhaps we should examine our motives.

Do we love God, or do we love the things He gives to us?  Do we serve God just to get His blessings?  Is hearing His approving “Well done!” our greatest joy in life?  Are our motives for loving and serving God as pure as those of a small child?

They had better be.

If we do not receive the Kingdom of God as a small child, we will not enter it.  We will not know the fullness of Kingdom living.  We won’t experience the delight of being in the presence of our heavenly Father and simply enjoying Him.  Can’t we forget about the things God has given to us long enough just to be with Him?

So what do we want?  Do we want God and His Kingdom?  Or will we settle for a quarter?

Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com