Thoughts,Songs,Writings,Rants,Encouragements, and Life

Monday, May 30, 2005

Faith like a child

On my recent trip to Gujarat for a friends wedding I was blown away by something that Clark Kadwell did one evening. It was the day after Kishor and Elvina's wedding. Kevin, the kids, and I had come over to Kishors parents house for dinner. We were waiting outside and enjoying the night skies and good fellowship when there was a power outage and everything went black. Some of us saw this as the flippant reminder of how bad power is wherever you are in India. Flashlights were flicked on to shed some light into the pure darkness that we were now sitting in. Then out of no where a little boys voice could be heard, "dad can we pray that Jesus turns the lights back on?" The voice belonged to almost 4 year old Clark. Kevin replied with sure son why don't you pray. Now usually Clark would hide his head in his father's lap and say quietly "no...you pray daddy." And this is what I expected to hear, but it was not what I , heard. What I heard blew me away. Clark began to pray in an innocent and fully believing voice. He asked that God could turn the lights back on so all the people could see again. There was a tone in his voice, a tone of complete and utter Faith. I kid you not, less than a minute later those lights went on at Kishors house. And there I sat basking in the light and marveling at the faith that young Clark had in Christ that he would indeed turn those lights back on. So often I think we as adults (by no means am i trying to generalize here but i think its true) have a lack of faith and utter our prayers and other offerings of worship out of duty and flippant routine than pure Faith like a child. I have always loved the passage in:
Mark 10:15-16-
"I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith (refering to children) will never get into the kingdom of God."
For years I have clung on to this passage truly believing our walk and worship with the lord should be like that of a child. And for years I have tried to remember how i worshiped and dreamed about God and believed in God as a child. I think of myself as a dreamer and a passionate one at that, but I cant help but feel that most of my artistic and dreamer sides of me died while I went through the school system and learned rules and regulations. I find myself trying to get inside Clarks head when he prayed that prayer. What does it truly mean to have Child like faith and yet an adult mindset about God and HIS amazing love and will for me? How do i get back to the place where my faith defies all rules of this world and finds the heart of God again?
I think this weeks Jars of Clay's song "Faith like a child" will be played again and again and again. I want to know what faith like a child is. perhaps some of you have found it as well??

1 Comments:

Blogger P Keener said...

What great observations. I am amazed at how God uses the children in our lives to speak directly to us.

12:14 PM

 

Post a Comment

<< Home