Faith Of a Child

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  Luke 18:17

My husband has been out of state this week on a business trip.  We have missed him dearly, and are so excited to welcome him back with open arms today.  Last night, the older two girls and I had a camp-out in the living room.  

Little baby wasn't invited.  I love her, but I didn't imagine little baby would sleep well piled up on the living room floor : )  Nor would I...

The girls wanted to watch a movie and eat popcorn.  So, that's what we did.  After the movie, I turned out the lights and soaked up the sight of seeing them through the dimness of the nightlight laying there in the same room with me.  It's really a joy to all sleep in the same room (every now and then!!)  They had their Pillow Pets, fleece blankets, and night time dolls.  What a sweet sight!

It didn't take either of them long to fall asleep.  Within a couple of minutes, I could hear heavy breathing.

Somewhere between 4:15 and 4:30, my four year old woke up moaning and complaining of a tummy-ache.  I asked her if she needed to use the potty, and she said no.  My motherly-instincts told me to put a bucket beside her. She quickly fell back to sleep.

At 5:30, she woke up vomiting.  I cleaned her up afterwards and she went back to sleep again. 

Again, at 6:00, she woke up vomiting.  Again, I cleaned her up and settled her back down, so thankful that I was sleeping in the same room with her.  As I tucked her back in, she looked at me and said, "Momma, will you pray and ask God to not let me throw up again?"

In my foolishness, I told her that I would pray that God would heal her, but she may still continue to throw up a little more.  I doubted that she would completely stop vomiting then, but knew she would eventually get better.

So, I prayed.  I asked God to heal her and cause her to feel better.

I climbed back on the couch and the verse above came to my mind.

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  Luke 18:17

She had faith.  She completely believed that if we asked God to not let her throw up again, He would answer that prayer.  

Since she asked, we have had no more sickness.  She went back to sleep, slept until 8:30, ate breakfast, and is playing excitedly down the hall.

I was convicted this morning.  How much faith do I have in the Lord our God?  When I pray, do I really believe He will answer those prayers?  Or even worse, do I really believe He has the power to?  My four-year-old does.  All she knew was, she was sick and had a tummy-ache, and if she prayed and asked God to take it away, He would and could immediately.

"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."  James 1:6-8

I pray the Lord increases my faith.  I pray He has mercy on my unbelief.  I have to have faith that He will answer that prayer (Ironic, huh?)

A man brought his son to the disciples.  His son was an epileptic and suffered severely (Matthew 17:15).  He asked the disciples to heal him, but they could not.  So the man brought his son to Jesus.  Jesus' response?

"O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him here to Me."  Matthew 17:17

Immediately, of course, Jesus rebuked the demon and the child was cured. (Matthew 17:18)

The disciples wanted to know why they couldn't cast the demon out.  

"So Jesus said to them, 'Because of your unbelief: for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ' "Move from here to there' ", and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.'"  

Matthew 17:20-21

I have to have faith in my prayers.  I pray the Lord will give me faith, and I pray I receive the kingdom of God as a child.

What would I do without my thumb-sucking 4 year old??