Child-Like Faith

I’ve lived with a faith in Jesus for most of my life, having accepted Him as a young child and then rededicating my life when I was in my early 20s. Despite the fact that this relationship is a real, on-going part of who I am, I’m sure I do, at times, become complacent and even take it for granted. But there’s nothing like the persistent questioning of a 4-year old to get me back on my “attentive” toes!

The other night, I was tucking Allie in to bed when she asked me some really good questions. I answered them all to the best of my (feeble) ability, but as I left her room, I realized her child-like ponderings had shed light upon my inadequacy to truly know how to answer her. And I was reminded that some things are just received with child-like faith.

“Mommy, is Jesus dead?”

“No, Allie. Jesus DID die. But remember the story! He rose again after three days, and now He’s in Heaven with God.”

“Where’s God?”

“He’s everywhere – all around us – but we call His home ‘Heaven’.”

“Is God a person?”

“No, He’s a Spirit. But His son Jesus was a person who was born as a baby and grew to be a man.”

“Does God have bones?”

“No, because He doesn’t need bones. Jesus had bones though.”

Thoughtful silence, and then… “Is Jesus in me?”

“Jesus lives in someone when they ask Him to come. When someone believes in Him and knows He’s God’s son, she can ask Him to come and live inside of her.”

 “In my heart?”

“Yes.”

“Look, Momma – can you see Him?” Allie asked, and then opened her mouth really wide.

“Well, I can’t see Him, but when we believe in Him and what He did for us, it doesn’t matter. We know He’s there, even though we can’t see Him.”

And that’s just it. That’s child-like faith – at 4 or 44 or 104. And as I attempted to answer all these “Allie questions” with words of truth that she could understand, I had to ask myself again, “What do I believe?”

Some of this sounded far-fetched, even to me (after all these years of believing), as I heard the words coming forth from my own mouth into the ears of my precious, ever-curious daughter — and yet… IT’S WHAT I BELIEVE! It’s what I’ve believed for a very long time. In fact, I don’t remember a time when I DIDN’T believe. As a young girl, I remember looking at tiny flowers that grew in my yard and knowing God had made them. When I looked out over miles and miles of Ohio farmland at soybean and corn fields, I believed. And when I played with my dog or snuggled with my cat – yes, then too… I believed.

But it’s more than that…

The faith of a child later became the child-like faith of a young woman… and still, this not-so-young woman (though young at heart) holds on to her faith so tightly. It’s been my bedrock foundation ~~ a whisper in dark places of seeming defeat… a resounding symphony in places of greatest victory.

I wrote a poem / song almost 20 years ago, when this “girl” (and her faith) was much younger. Some day, I’ll share it with Allie – in hopes that she, by then, will better understand…

“Child-Like Faith”

Most children have faith that mountains can move

Wide-eyed, they believe the unbelievable.

Fairies and elves hold a place in their hearts

While mommas and daddies are invincible.

As for me, I can’t say there’s been a time in my past

When Santa or Bunnies seemed true,

But one thing’s for sure, without question or doubt ~~

I’ve always believed, Lord, in You.

 

And my child-like faith, though tested at times

Has only grown through the years.

There’ve been times when I felt I was standing alone

And my faith was at war with my fears,

But t’was then that my faith was most strengthened,

And I’ve watched the fears fall by the way.

And I’m standing sure-footed on rock-solid ground

On the mountain of child-like faith.

 

All grown up now, no longer a child,

I watch as [my] children play,

And I can’t help but smile and say to myself,

“Oh, how I remember the day…

When sticks became swords and a stone became bread

And a garland of flowers

Was a crown on my head…”

Yet, as I look back I must wonder

And in my wondering, I start to pray,

“Lord, bless [these, my] children and help them to grow

Up in their child-like faith.”

 

So their child-like faith, though tested at times

Will only grow through the years,

‘Cause there’ll be times when it feels like

They’re standing alone

And their faith’s at war with their fears.

But I pray that their faith will be strengthened

And their fears will fall by the way.

Then they, too, will be standing on rock-solid ground

On the mountain of child-like faith.

 

Lord, we need faith that You can move mountains.

Yes, we need to have child-like faith.

(1995)