During Children's Day, many parents show how proud they are of their children by posting things about them on Wechat. When I see the photo of a child holding a balloon in one hand and a parents hand in the other, my heart is warmed by the intimate interaction between parent and child.
Who is not a child? Even Methuselah, who lived to be nine hundred and sixty-nine years old, was still just a child before a God who created time. For someone like me, who will never reach the age of Methuselah, I am definitely a small child.
A child who was flying a kite in the square shouted to everyone: "With my dad’s help, my kite will go higher than any other kite!" Like a bird, he flew about, not worried about falling or meeting anything bad, since his father was behind him. I felt blessed by just looking at him. In reality, the child's kite was not the highest in the sky, but for the child, the kite his father puts in his heart is the highest and farthest. The child welcomes the challenge, is willing to struggle and be brave, because he is sure his father will always hold the string and protect him.
Doesn’t our Heavenly Father treat us in the same gentle manner? The Bible says: "He found him in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness. He surrounded him. He cared for him. He kept him as the apple of his eye." "Him" here can be replaced by each of us. "He protects those who have been tempered like the apple of his eye, " for his love is perfect and timely.
When I was reading Deuteronomy, I had a deep feeling that the Heavenly Father’s love is so far-reaching that he considers everything, even the basin. He sees every small part of our lives puts these in His heart: How about when we are sick? How about when we become rebellious? What to do if we have doubts? ... The Heavenly Father explains his intentions to people, just like parents speak to children in patient, gentle, fair and just ways.
And Deuteronomy says: "Behold, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and evil. For I command you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it. "
Then it goes on: "But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away, ... I denounce to you today, that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it. "
Our Heavenly Father treats his people as a father treats his son, but we often forget that we are His children.
For the Hebrew children, the Heavenly Father announced his commandment clearly. But after Joshua and the older generation died, they began to worship idols and offended Him. Aren’t we the same? We know God's omnipotence and grace, but we still prefer the strength of the world and are judgmental, rather than surrender to God. How poor we are!
We are to be pure like little children, simply believe in the words and leadership of Christ , rather than live in ignorance. I especially admire Peter because he dared to step out of the boat and into the sea. What kind of faith must an old fisherman have to do something like this, a behavior so different from anything in his experience? Just simplicity, as simple as a child! When we hear God’s instructions, we should just follow, and when we hear God’s words, believe. If we live this kind of life we cannot help but experience God’s blessings.
As the years go by, we gradually lose this kind of belief. We are more willing to believe in our own strength and what we have experienced, so that sorrow, stress, and difficulties catch us. At the same time joy, satisfaction, and gratitude leave us.
Perhaps we should learn to commit ourselves as a child does. "Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient." Children don’t worry about where there food will come from, because they believe in their parents; they don’t worry about the cold, because they are loved by their parents; they are not afraid because they are embraced tightly in their parents arms. Trust, purity, and dependence are the characteristics of a child that we as adults also need to model in our relationship to our Heavenly Father.
John once said: "See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! " Since we are His children, we can pray to him without fear, just like in the Psalm: "Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings." We can pray to the Lord also and ask him to bless our path every day.
The passing of time will put pressure on us, but don’t be afraid, we are God’s treasure. As long as you are willing to rely on Him, He will always be by your side. Blessings and grace to each of you!
- Translated by Elaina Wu
