Like a Child

I have a three year old son named Ethan. Ethan is still at that stage where he loves his parents no matter what. I got home from work the other day, and usually that is about five minutes before Ethan gets off the bus. So I usually go inside for a minute or two, tell my wife I'm home, then go back outside to wait for the bus. I get him off the bus and inside. Usually after he gets inside he tells me "Eat! Eat!" Then I get him a snack. He then says "Milk! Milk!" and I get him his milk. He is still at the age where he depends exclusively on my wife and me. Everything that Ethan has, has come from my wife and me. When he needs something, he asks. Sometimes he knows what he needs, but doesn't know how to ask. Sometimes he doesn't know what he needs at all. But still, I provide. Sometimes he asks for things he doesn't need, and he doesn't get them. Sometimes he misbehaves, and I get upset. But when it comes down to it, he is my son, and I will always be his father.


I am a proud parent, and thus believe my child is smart. The difference between me and most other proud parents is that I believe my son is smarter than me. In fact, Ethan has things figured out, and I am far from that. You see, we are all dependent on our father. That is, our Heavenly Father. He leads us to where we need to go, as I lead Ethan off the bus. When I am in need, I call out to Him, just as Ethan calls out to me when he is in need. Even if I don't know what to say, God knows what is on my heart. Just as I know what Ethan needs even though he can't say what he wants at times. At times we will ask for things that we don't need, like a million dollars, a mansion on a golf course, or what have you. Just as Ethan asks for the things we try in vain to hide from him. Even with all this, we still stray, we still sin against our Father's will for our lives. But keep in mind, we are His children, and He will always be our Father.


The thing is, we need to understand that we are completely dependent on our Father, just as Ethan understands that He is dependent on my wife and me. In fact, Jesus says this very thing in Mark 10:15 says "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." What He is saying is that we need to realize that we are dependent on Him for everything we have, and everything we are. What we really need to understand is what our lives would be like, and where we would be, if our Father had not loved us so much to send us His Son.


Amen.