Through all my years of walking with children,
I continue to marvel at how much they know and understand. Their ability to
learn from listening and watching what goes on around them is often truly
astounding. I learn a lot from them, and from Jesus’ referring to them as the
special recipients of his grace and mercy.
Here is the way a variety of Scriptures came together to
build up my childlike faith. It began with another look at Jesus’ introduction
of himself as the only source of soul-rest.[1] As he transitioned from the faithless and
unrepentant hearts of the multitudes, he gave his commentary on what everyone
had witnessed.
“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and
understanding and revealed them
to little children; yes, Father,
for such was your gracious will.”[2]
Much
could be said about what would happen if God gave his revelations of truth to
those who were wise and understanding in their own eyes. In fact, history is
full of examples of what prideful people accomplish when they take God’s words
into their own hands and twist them to their own desires. It is not pretty.
On
the other hand, there is this characteristic of God’s word that can only be
described as God revealing his truth to those who qualify as “little children.” God’s word exhorts us
to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”[3] It then shows us this beautiful picture of God’s “gracious will,” that he reveals his
ways to those who do not lean on their own understanding.
Another
Scripture that serves as a prelude to what Jesus expressed is this:
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not
the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who
boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and
righteousness in the earth. For in these
things I delight, declares the LORD.”[4]
What
I love about this is the way it mercifully turns us away from the things that
block our experience of God, and graciously guides us into the best gift of
all, that we can “understand and know”
him. To “understand” means to have
true information about him, and to “know”
means to have personal relationship with him.
This
adds such glory to Jesus’ prayer, “And
this is eternal life, that they
know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”[5]
God so loved the world that he gave us his Son, so that, through believing in
his Son we would be saved from perishing in the condemnation of our sins, and
would receive eternal life.[6]
This eternal life, which is the gift of God’s grace, brings us to know this God
who so loved the world, and know his Son who came into the world as the demonstration
of God’s love.
In
other words, Jesus came so that little children could understand and know God.
Here
is one more facet of this glorious diamond of divine revelation: “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered
him, ‘Blessed
are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is
in heaven.’”[7]
Here
is the gracious gift of God, that Peter understood and knew Jesus as the
Christ, the Son of the Living God. This was not revealed to Peter by flesh and
blood, neither a teacher’s ability to teach, or Peter’s ability to learn. It
was revealed to him by the Father because the Father wanted Peter to understand
and know him.
It is awe-inspiring to now take another look at the praise Jesus
offered up to his Father: “I thank you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the
wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for
such was your gracious will.”[8] It was the Father’s good pleasure that he reveal “these things” to “little children” so that little children like me can understand
and know God.
Even while I need regular loving discipline from my Father
to keep my mind focused on such wondrous truths,[9] I am thankful that the Lord of heaven willed to
reveal these things to me. I have a feeling that he has willed that I would
understand and know him even better than I do now! I suppose that is what
tomorrow’s time with God will be all about.
© 2014 Monte Vigh ~
Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise
noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible,
English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway
Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)
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