Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God with a cup of coffee in hand and a Heart willing to learn. I don’t have frills or formality when it comes to meeting with my God, because I’m His student and He’s my Teacher and He loves me just the way I am. I’ll never be old enough or smart enough to stop Searching for what God has for me or for ways that I can become more of what He Plans for me to be. Being a Light in a dark world and a Willing Vessel is one thing…to have the mind and the HEART OF A CHILD, excited to learn and eager to spiritually “grow up” is another. So, I meet with Him with Humility, and I Search His Word with no agenda of my own whatsoever EXCEPT to Hear what He has for me today. I do my best to stay on Course with the Plans for my Journey that were Set in motion before the foundations of the earth. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith, too?,

The world is overflowing with know-it-alls, but when it comes to God’s people, there’s no room for that! Some people have become Bible scholars, and they can point in the Direction of just the right Scripture without even thinking about it. They strive to know more than everybody else, and they’re ready to pounce on anyone who speaks a word they don’t agree with as if God has enlightened them a little more than the rest of the world. Debating the Word of God is their favorite (self-fulfilling) pastime. The Word of God is embedded in the hard drive of their mind, and they have instant recall at will. But if the Bible scholars aren’t careful, they’ll live Life like a walking encyclopedia, and the more they rely on their intellectual side, the farther they seem to get from that place of Humility. In that case, they’ll no longer have the Heart of a child – eager to learn and excited to spiritually grow up. Others seem to be stuck in Bible student mode, and they’re in every Bible study they can fit into a busy schedule. The Word of my God is highlighted and tabbed, and notes fill up all the empty spaces on the tattered pages. They have the Heart of a child, excited to learn and eager to grow up, but they so often remain in perpetual student mode, and they never take the step toward Application. For the perpetual Bible student, there’s always something else to learn BEFORE they believe they’re ready to “go forth and tell”. The interesting thing about living like a child is that not only are we eager and excited to learn all the days of our lives…we’re fearless too! We learn to Trust our Father to lead us in ways that no man is Qualified to lead and to Trust Him, especially when it doesn’t make sense.

It takes the Heart of a child to follow His Lead, even when we’re scared, and it takes the Heart of a child to find Humility. It takes the Heart of a child to be willing to Surrender and to be obedient to the Voice of God. It takes the Heart of a child to understand that there are consequences for our wrongs that can’t be negotiated or intellectually reasoned through. It takes the Heart of a child to understand that we don’t Know it all and that we never really will on this side of Heaven. It takes the Heart of a child to Believe that when the Father says something, it’s true…and it is never questioned. It takes the Heart of a child to live outside of fear so that we don’t just read about “how to ride a bike”, we actually get on the bike and ride – and if we fall here and there that’s okay too, because the falling here and there makes us better and Stronger as we master the art of “bike riding”. It takes the Heart of a child to cry and to admit that we’re Powerless on our own. It takes the Heart of a child to easily extend Forgiveness, and it takes the Heart of a child to Love unconditionally. It’s ONLY when we live and Love like a child that we can please our Heavenly Father…the Teacher, the Redeemer, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith…the ONLY ONE who Knows it all.

I’ve spent years in the Living Word of my Living God, and it shows. I understand that head knowledge doesn’t do me any Good unless I move it from my head to my Heart and apply it to every area of my life. I’m excited to learn and eager to spiritually “grow up.” I’ll strive to have (and to keep) the Heart of a child when it comes to my God, all the days of my Life, that He might be pleased with me.

How about you?