Read: Mark 10:13-16
Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. (v. 14)
The words of Jesus loom large for those who would complicate theology in any way: Don’t hinder those with wide-eyed trust, be they children or adults. Hebrews 11:6 teaches that without faith it’s impossible to please God, because (1) you won’t really live like he exists, and/or (2) even if you believe he exists, you won’t trust he’s good. In short, you must love and trust God to please him.
Children specialize in trust—in fact, you must teach them not to trust, whether by active capital A abuse, like hitting, molesting, or otherwise betraying their trust, or by passive little a abuse, by ignoring their needs, pain, emotional or physical health, or abandoning them.
It’s not complicated to believe like a child—unless you’re an adult who has encountered any of the above (a lot of us). Then you might feel jaded. Insecure. Betrayed. With trust broken, you may find yourself vowing to never rely on anyone again, especially God, whom you think could have saved you from pain if he wanted to. You may love God and yet keep yourself spiritually distanced from him, double-masked up, self-quarantined behind walls of your choosing. If that’s you (as it once was me, a story I share in Walking When You’d Rather Fly), please stop blaming and mistrusting God, and come as the child you once were, unhindered, leaving the shame for the one or ones to whom it belongs. —Amy Clemens
As you pray, ask God for the gift of believing as a child once again.
About the Author
With a bachelors in journalism from Texas Tech University and a masters from Western Theological Seminary, Amy Clemens enjoys all things writing, particularly about the life of faith. She is blessed with a family that includes husband Fred, five children, and five grandchildren.
Amy has just published her first book, "Walking When You'd Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall," which weaves her journey from childhood abuse toward healing and spiritual growth with a practical theology for the big story of God. You can find out more about the book and author at walkingwhenyoudratherfly.com.
