Become as a Child

Monday night, Josh (our youth pastor's three year old son) came to shiloh! He has developed a passion for the guitar and the drums...and so on Monday night, he made his way to the stage to show off his skills. With a mic lowered to his hight and a stand for his music, he played away with Justin and the band during our prayer meeting. It was probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen, and I know that Pastor Mike and Nancy absolutely love seeing him up there, copying Justin, tapping the guitar pedal, strumming to the beat (well actually more like hitting the guitar strings to the beat)...

Watching him on the stage at three years old playing his little guitar, it actually made me think of my relationship with God. So many times, like a three year old, we're trying our hardest on the stage of life, strumming away, maybe making up our own beats, copying others, and just working hard to show God our skills to try and please Him! Sometimes we mess up, other times we think we sound pretty good...

I had the revelation that just as Josh gets on the stage and hits his little red guitar to the music, it's not the sound that he's making, the technique or how hard he's playing that makes his parents clap and say "Josh is the BEST!" ...it's the fact that they as his parents just delight in him as their son. It's the same with God. It's not our greatest efforts and talents that make God smile as He watches us...because nothing we do can really impress Him. We can't compete with the One who made the universe and every living thing in it! He just simply delights in us and loves seeing us up on the stage...He loves us for who we are...even if we feel like we don't have any talent at all...HE SIMPLY DELIGHTS IN US, and can't say enough great things about us.

Matthew 18:1-4 says "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever HUMBLES himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."'

We enter into God's kingdom, through being humble like a child! David knew this very well. He was the King of Israel and still he humbled himself and danced and was undignified before the Lord because he knew that without the Lord, he would not be who God called him to be (2 Samuel 6: 14-16, 20-22). He didn't even care what his wife thought of him, or the rest of the people for that matter, all he wanted to do was worship and praise God, spinning and dancing, just as a child.

Take some time today to remember that God delights in you ALL the time, no matter what you've done, he may have to discipline you at times and get frustrated with you when you sin but HE STILL SIMPLY DELIGHTS IN WHO YOU ARE! He is a good God...so spend time with Him today, let Him know that you delight in Him too!