As Little Children
“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven…”
Matthew 18:3
The exceptions of God are non-negotiable. Apart from the new birth, we are bereft of the power to become child-like. His coming into our hearts is the means of our conversion and growth into the wonder of His kingdom. Childlikeness is the nature required to enter the depths of the kingdom of heaven.
Simplicity of trust is the bedrock of a faith that glorifies our heavenly Father. Too many have missed the call of God through their own reasoning. Like Naaman in his own wisdom almost reasoned himself out of God’s healing, we too may miss God if we do not learn to be weaned of our own understanding and inclinations.
“Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.”
2 Kings 5:12
The stipulation for Naaman’s healing was bound to his compliance with the Word of the Lord. Its fulfillment was hidden within the simplicity of God’s way. So, it is with us. God often hides His power within the mundane. The five loaves and two fishes, the oil in the widow’s house, and the walking stick of Moses became the means for the display of God’s power.
To the widow who was about to lose her son to the creditors:
“And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.”
2 Kings 4:2
The Word of the Lord to Moses:
“And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from before it.”
Exodus 4:2-3
The salvation of God is offered freely to all who in sincerity of heart call upon His Name. However, entering the Kingdom of God is an entirely different matter. There is a cost involved, a deep work of His Spirit within, by which we enter its dominion. Read afresh the Parables of Jesus; they hold the keys and truths of His Kingdom.
There is something both unnerving and awe-inspiring in God’s ways. It is to the pure and the humble in heart that He chooses to unveil His majesty.
“but to this man will I look,
even to him, that is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at my word”
Isaiah 66:2
The heart is the lens through which we “see” God.
His work of grace is to purify, humble, and transform us from the wisdom and pride of this world into the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who “humbled Himself” and became obedient to the will of the Father (Philippians 2:5). Only a true child of God can obey the heavenly Father.
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”
Romans 8:16-17
May we read anew the language of God and feel within His Words the invitation to become child-like in the reality of our hearts!
See Related Post: “Seeing God”
†
“…the simplicity that is in Christ”
2 Corinthians 11:3
Arguments or Obedience
“Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly… You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters, you can think things out, but in spiritual matters, you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and…every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).
Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.”
Oswald Chambers
Brian Troxel
Amen! I love this!
🙌
Excellent teaching. To be child-like is absolutely important if we want to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. We can’t reason ourselves into the Kingdom: it is through obedience to the Holy Ghost. Reason can be idolatrous–especially when we don’t put God first. Reason (or the intellect) is a part of the soul life. The Lord created reason/intelligence, but it must be surrendered to the Lord for the Lord to fully use us for His purposes. Watchmen Nee once said that the soul (reason, intelligence, the will, emotions) is the servant to the Spirit. The Holy Ghost needs to dominate our lives, not reason.
Very well said!
Thank you for stopping by.
BT