E-votional  Inner Child, Won't You Please Come Out!
July 11, 2001
Verse:
 
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
- Matthew 30:14 (NIV)

http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?matthew+18:1-10

Thought:
Walking from the kitchen, there was a familiar smile that crept up upon her lips.  Mischievous, yet innocent, curious, yet guarded, looking around, thinking no one was around, she jumped up to touch the ceiling.  As she came down to a squat she let out a quiet whoop and pumped her arms twice.  "Still got it."
Hear the Good News, as children our faith and understanding in life is pure and innocent, guarded but confident, curious, yet satisfied.  The world has not yet jaded our understanding of any dichotomies between sexes, race, age or politics.  Good is good and bad is bad, there are not the exceptions to the rules, little white lies do not exist, love is 100% and doing something such as drawing a picture for a friend makes your day.  But unfortunately, along the way, the complications of sex are not relegated to mere gender, race equality does not refer to who get the head start, age is not something you look forward to on that special day the hellos of life begin to become less and less meaningful and sincere.  This, I think is just the tip of the iceberg Jesus addresses in the passage above.  Be like that of a child.  Not the immaturity, but have the vision and unscarred joy of the child.  Children are eager to learn, willing to accept, yearning to love.  As adults, I fear we are far more eager to stop, willing to do what we must, yearning for different circumstance.
When was the last time you called for that inner child within you to come out and play?

Prayer:
Gracious Father, in the truest sense of the word, heal the wounds within that I might play again.  For far too long I have built wall after wall, seeking to be an "adult," longing for the "right life," when in fact the right life is that without the walls we so guardedly build.  Let my life be about acceptance, not conditions, let it be about eagerness, not avoidance and about sincerity instead of emptiness.  You have in fact brought to my life so much to be eager about, such an incomprehensible acceptance, as well as everything that is real.  Let me share this.  Thank you Father, for all You have done and all You will continue to do in my life.  Amen.