BBD 06.29.05 Like a Little Child
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
a part of a great ministry. More than 400 wonderful people make up this
group. To join send an email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org
The Burning Bush Devotional
1,258 New Subscribers since November 2004
06.29.05
Like A Little Child
(Originally sent 01.15.03)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?' Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in
the midst of them, and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are
converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the
kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child
like this in My name receives Me.' - Matthew 18:1-5.
Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells are as some writers have noted "self-made men
in love with their maker." The length of Parcells tenure as the coach of the
Dallas Cowboys is definitely in doubt. Can their two gigantic egos withstand
the constant collisions they will inevitably have? We may laugh at Jones and
Parcells but in the American mind many envy their independence and
self-reliance. It is part of the Code of the West to be self-reliant. To be
able to stand on your own two feet and live life without anyone having to
help you out is an admirable accomplishment. Being independent and
self-reliant are traits that many are taught from the time they are born.
But Jesus says what? ".unless you are converted and become as little
children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." We are to
become like a child. One of the characteristics of children is that they are
completely dependent and they realize it. You'll never hear a five-year-old
child saying, "I'm a self-made, independent child who makes it on my own."
You'll never hear anything like that from a child. Instead you'll hear
things like "I'm hungry," "Will you get that for me?" "Help me," and, "Will
you carry me?"
In the Kingdom of God we too need to become like little children - children
who are completely dependent upon their God. The apostle Paul tells us, ".we
should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered
us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will
still deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)."
We are to be disciples and part of the definition of a true disciple is
being dependent upon your teacher. Instead, of being self-made men and women
we must instead depend upon God for everything. A frequent statement made by
Bill Clinton was that if you see a turtle on a fence post you know somebody
put it there. Alex Haley the author of Roots and many others have said much
the same thing. Haley says, "Every time I'm tempted to think, 'aren't I
marvelous? Look at all I've accomplished!' I look at the picture I have on
the wall of a turtle on a fence post and remember how this turtle - me - got
up on that post." Becoming holy, becoming great in the Kingdom of God by
ourselves is about as possible as a turtle climbing a fence post. The fact
is that we cannot do it on our own. We need His help. We must depend on Him
just like a little child.
To live the overcoming abundant Christian life we must reach a place of
surrender and absolute dependence upon our God. We must become like little
children trusting Him for every detail of our lives.
Copyright © 2003-2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush
website has been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page http://www.theburningbush.org.
If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org
Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html
There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.
You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 400 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm