Childlike

Robert Allan February 22, 2022 0 1

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1 Corinthians 13:11a, Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)

(1 Corinthians 13) 11a When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child;

(Ephesians 4) 15 Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.

When I was a student in training for the ministry, I made up a sermon entitled “Childlikeness”. It was ingrained on my memory (and my wife’s) because, like many students, the sermon “did the rounds” in a few Churches as I was invited to do pulpit supply! To cut a semi-long sermon short, it is not great to be childish (which it seems can affect adults too!) but we do well to retain the childlike qualities of trust, faith, love, acceptance, etc. – you get the picture. I bet some wish my sermons were all cut so short and sweet! We have to grow up and sadly grow old, but how can we ensure our faith matures? For me, it is a strange combination of retaining something of the inner child, mixed with the challenges of discipleship that Jesus lays before us, all wrapped up in love.

PRAYER:

God our Father, we are your children, sisters and brothers in Christ. Forgive us when we take the huff, give someone the silent treatment, or throw the toys out of the pram. Raise us to life with the simplicity of childlikeness, remembering that it is only when we accept your Kingdom as a child that we will be able to step our toes into it. But raise us also to the mature challenges of following Jesus where we have to count the cost and take up our cross. Amen.