The beauty of a child's heart

Oh, how amazing it would be, to have a heart like a child. 

A heart that is trusting without reason, a heart that expunges embarrassment and shame, oh to have a heart that unapologetically runs to the Father with every pain, every fear, every burden, and asks for God to take it away. 

This is the heart that the Father desires, and yet, we say to ourselves, “For why should I burden such majesty with my inadequacy?” But it was Christ Himself calling forth those whom others turned away, for he said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” ‭(‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

For certain he wasn’t referring to immaturity, nor being young, nor energetic, but to the fact that nothing stops them, nothing in their precious minds told them that He was too great for them to be in His presence. And yet, as believers, we often fall into this false mindset, that I am not enough, and therefore cannot approach the King. To this I say, of course, we are not enough and so we MUST approach the king. We must launch ourselves into His presence for this is how we become more like Him.

Being the Father of two little boys, it’s amazing to see when they begin to walk like me, they begin to speak like me, they begin to love like me because it is what a child does when they spend time with their father, they begin to take on his characteristics. What makes their father laugh, makes them laugh, and what makes their father sad, begins to make them sad. It is simply the nature of that relationship, that childlike faith, trust, and desire for more of him. 

Can you imagine what it would look like if we began to approach His throne in this manner? For we would begin to manifest the characteristics of our Father, His love, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, joy, peace, goodness and faithfulness, all because we were unafraid and unashamed to enter into His presence with an expectation that He would embrace us, and fill us.

But, the voice of the enemy would like nothing more than for us to believe that our Father is ashamed of His children, but nay, it is not so, for He looks at you from the end of eternity, knowing who He created you to be. So run to Him sons and daughters, run to Him as He opens His arms to embrace you, to comfort you and to guide you into the incredible purpose that He has written over your spirit. As you release who you are not, you will see the majesty of who He is in you.

Justin Gardner pastors at River of Life Fellowship, 702 Church St., Sandpoint. The church can be reached at 208-255-7111.