“And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
Matthew 18:3
I fondly remember when my dad spent time with me while on a family vacation in Lynden, Washington, his hometown. I recall picking blackberries with him in a field not far from the very house he had grown up in. My memories are not so much about what he said, but of how it felt. I was confident in his love and his leading.
Jesus called us to be like children when coming to Him. A child needs his parent; there is nothing the child can do on his own. And Jesus’ call extends also to believing like a child in prayer.
In Luke 7 the Roman centurion, a man of authority and honor, trusted like a child. He was so confident in Jesus’ ability to heal his servant that he asked Jesus to do it without even visiting his house. The centurion’s faith stunned Jesus (v. 9), who then healed the servant from afar.
Of course, our prayers change as we grow in the Lord. If you can, listen to—or at least call to memory—the prayers of a child. Remind yourself of the beauty of talking to God as a child does. He hears our simple, unadorned prayers.
Jesus called us to be like children when coming to Him. A child needs his parent; there is nothing the child can do on his own. And Jesus’ call extends also to believing like a child in prayer.
In Luke 7 the Roman centurion, a man of authority and honor, trusted like a child. He was so confident in Jesus’ ability to heal his servant that he asked Jesus to do it without even visiting his house. The centurion’s faith stunned Jesus (v. 9), who then healed the servant from afar.
Of course, our prayers change as we grow in the Lord. If you can, listen to—or at least call to memory—the prayers of a child. Remind yourself of the beauty of talking to God as a child does. He hears our simple, unadorned prayers.
Scripture Focus
Luke 7:1-10
Insight
“[Childlike faith] calls the believer to remain forever in a state of awe and trust of their heavenly Father.” (Francis Schaeffer, 1912-1984)
Bible In A Year
- Deuteronomy 1-2
- Psalm 80
- Acts 1
