Nothing But A Little Child

A lot's been going on around here...changes and challenges galore and blessed by all of them, I might add.  I scarcely know where to begin so I'll start with the most simple and obvious conclusion...I am nothing but a little child.  

It's true.

Despite anything that goes on,

how busy or complicated life is, my vocation, my lot in life, my level of education, my state of holiness, I am still just a child.  

All of us are children of God, made in His image and likeness of course.  But remaining in a child-like state is scarcely possible as we grow into adulthood.  

We move out and seek to learn for ourselves...

He has promised that when we seek, we will find.

The funny thing is that what we find is not always what we expect!

Every trial will bring us closer to Him until we have no other place to run but into His arms.

We cannot do this life on our own.

Our Father is always right.

I am still the child.

Time and time again I am like Peter in the boat when Jesus asks them to lower their nets into the lake. (Luke 5:1-11) "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing.  {But ok, ok, I'll do as you ask and lower the net...}" The Lord follows by providing abundant fish and Peter is remorseful for not trusting Him.

Like Simon Peter, I am constantly being reminded that God has a plan and His plan is never my own.  I often do as he asks but I am regularly reluctant. I am scared and I fail miserably in the "trust" department.

And yet He is still there, He never leaves us, loving us unconditionally as in this same Gospel telling Peter..."Do not be afraid."  One thing I have read about Peter is that he is the saint in the Gospels who is the closest to our humanity.  Even in his weak denials of Christ, he never permits himself to separate his heart from Him.  This is helpful to me and to all of us...We can DO this!

When I watch my children, they are always learning with eyes of wonder.   This is where God leads all of us if only we stop and look around.

Instead, I grow weary as I look at my failings. I grieve over the state of the world.  I worry about those who haven't yet "got God" and those who have left him.  Even worse, I am saddened by the Pharisees of our time.  {This is one of my greatest fears...I don't ever want to be one of them.}  Muckity, muck, muck, muck! Through all the muck, I am always reminded to just let God be God and me be me.

I am nothing but a little child in the scheme of things.  I can do my best when I wipe off my dirty lenses and see the world through the clean lens of a child, with the goodness that only He provides....

Through the ugly muck and sinful struggles, there are sweet smiles to be given, good deeds to be done, moments to cherish, beauty to be discovered, mercy to heal and hope to be shared.

With a Father who loves us and a Mother who always leads us to Him, what more could we ask for?

"If we persevere, we shall also reign with him." 2 Timothy 2:12