At breakfast this morning, my 4 year old Elizabeth said, “Mom, when we go to Heaven, we can talk to God“. I excitedly said that yes we can! I started thinking about how amazing that will be to talk to God, the creator of the Universe. What would I ask Him? Would I even be able to utter a single word in the presence of such amazing power? Or will it be like going home to be with my Father, who loves and cares for me so much? I can’t wait to talk with God!
Then my daughter said, “Mom, we can talk to God right now when we pray“. Wow! Words of absolute truth from my little 4 year old. We don’t have to wait to talk to God, we can do it right now, any time of day. We prayed right then together for our breakfast, thanking Him for the Eggo waffles, our friends, and the warm day.
It made me think about how I treat talking to God – prayer. Do I take that honor, that absolute privilege to talk to Him enough? Sometimes it takes words from my young kids to remind me of how truly wonderful God is.
Our conversation reminded me of the verse from Matthew 18:2-4. Jesus tells us that to go to Heaven, we must first become like little children.
And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. – Matt 18:2-4
We so often over-think, over-analyze things as adults. It is good to get a reminder for a child to hear such words of precious truth. It doesn’t matter how we pray, what words we use, it only matters that we pray. My kids pray for a zillion different things, they thank God for “the animals”, the “good things we eat”, their toys, their friends, the border on their bedroom walls. Does God hear their prayers. Yes. Does he ignore their crazy little prayers? No. He delights in their faith, He delights in hearing from thanks and praises from their little hearts. He delights in hearing your prayers, whether they are of praise or desperate cries for help. He delights that we commune with Him because He loves us.
I really liked the illustration that I found on Mark Wilson’s website Faith.Hope.Love.
Dad: Son, I’m getting you a red bike for Christmas
Son to other kid: My dad says I’m getting a red bike for Christmas.
Other kid: Really? I don’t see the bike. Are you sure it will happen?
Son: For sure! My dad is not a liar and He is really really rich.Heavenly Father: Jesus died for all of your sins and you are in peace with Me
Me to other believer: I am at peace with God, peace will reign in my house
Believer to me: Are you sure? There are a hundred things that can go wrong.
Me: For sure, God is totally trustworthy to His words. Nothing can shake him.
I hope that you will consider the awesomeness of God today and that you will take time to become like a little child.
