Recently, while going through some older photos, I came across one from when my son was in elementary school. It was from the end of summer and brought me back to a wonderful memory.
We hadn’t really made it to the beach that summer, for a variety of reasons, and were on our way home from an event when my husband decided it would be fun to just stop by the beach for a bit. The kids were excited to head to the beach, even if we didn’t intend to get in the water. So, there we were, at the beach. Sand between our toes, waves gently rolling over our ankles, and the warm ocean breeze. When my son expressed his disappointment that he didn’t have a bathing suit and a towel, because he wanted to go for a swim.
After a brief chat, my son agreed that he could take off his clothes and jump into the ocean in his undergarments. Reserving the dry clothes for the ride home from the beach.
Flashing a smile for the camera and giving a thumbs up for good measure, full of childlike wonder, my son ran, full force, into the waves. Past his knees, water up to his waist, he dove in, headfirst, covering himself in the salty ocean spray. His face beaming, he began splashing, swimming, and laughing. Full of joy and wonder. No fear of the potential for a cold, wet ride home. No worry over whether the sand would stick to his skin without a towel to dry himself. Just pure joy! And immense trust that his parents would take care of the details.
In Matthew 18:3, we read about becoming like a little child. This passage of scripture reminds us of the importance of changing our old ways of thinking and becoming childlike (trusting, humble, and forgiving). While in Mark 11:22-23, we are told that being filled with faith in God, the kind of faith that doesn’t have room for doubt, will cause mountains to move. Faith that takes God at His Word and believes that what He says is the Truth causes mountains to move. It’s a childlike, not a childish faith. The kind of faith that trusts in your Father God, even when the circumstances around you might not be favorable. Like believing that your parents will take care of the details, and choosing to frolic in the ocean waves like a child, filled with joy and wonder.
Thinking about childlike faith, I began to wonder what words AI would use to describe the attributes of a child. The attributes it used to describe being childlike included curiosity, trust, wonder, and joy. These words seem to perfectly capture the essence of that photo I found from so many years ago. My son, full of wonder and joy, trusting in his parents to provide, reveling in the wonder of creation, and building memories with his family.
Being childlike, not childish.
I think it’s interesting that earlier in the book of Matthew, Jesus talks about being double-minded (duplicity).
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” Matthew 12:25 (NIV)
I also find it interesting that the word “doubt” used in Mark 11:23 is the same as one used in James 1:6. The word doubt used in Mark 11:23 and James 1:6 is Strong’s Greek 1252 and means to separate thoroughly, to withdraw from, to oppose, to discriminate, to decide, and to hesitate.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6 (NIV)
This same word, doubt, in Mark 11:23, in Aramaic, means to be divided (undecided) in your heart. As children of the Most High God, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. If our “kingdom” is divided, then it will not stand (Mark 11:23). Truth resides within us – when our thoughts, emotions, and actions don’t align with the Truth, then we are a kingdom divided, we are living in duplicity.
Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you!” Mark 11:22 (TPT)
Recognize that there is a war for your mind (Romans 7:23) and that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23). We need to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). Or, as Steve Backlund says, our hopelessness about a problem is a bigger problem than the problem. We should elevate our beliefs beyond what we are experiencing in this life, aligning our hope and beliefs with the Truth. Hope is evidence that our minds are being renewed and transformed by the Truth.
Think back to the Garden of Eden and our original design (Genesis 2). We were created to have a deep and enduring relationship with our Father God. Talking with Him, experiencing His fullness, and enjoying the many blessings He has given us. Not a care in the world other than loving our Father God. Seeking a relationship with Him first and foremost. Not striving for what we need but resting in and trusting Him to provide IT ALL. (And dare I say, most of us have a limited understanding of what it means to have God supply all of our needs. I think we need to expand our understanding of the needs that God truly provides for us, but perhaps that’s a conversation for another blog post.)
Some of us need to remember what it was like to have a childlike faith, before life’s experiences hardened our hearts and shifted our perspectives. But I think that most of us need a revelation of what childlike faith looks and feels like. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to remind us and reveal to us our original design as children of the King. We need to be reminded to splash in the waves of life, full of joy and wonder, not a care in this world, with our eyes fully fixed on the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
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