goodmorning God.

Child like faith.

Often that phrase is understood or assumed to be saying "leave your brains at the door."

Faith is one of those words that has such an enormously diverse and personal definition in each of our minds. But in the context of the bible, and what Jesus was talking about...I think we should take another close look.

It is inconsistent with what we know about the life of Jesus to think that what he is after is a thoughtless, mindless, unquestioning flock of zombie sheep. Remember, Jesus/God/Holy Spirit sees past the mere words that we use, and is aware of the deepest parts of the one who ask the questions.

Our mind and ability to understand, compared to God, are much more separated than a childs mind compared to an adult. So even more than a child to an adult, the element of trust is needed when we are in relation to God. Can we trust God when our ability to understand is brought to the limits?

Do not take me as suggesting that critical thinking and asking questions of God should not be done...I am suggesting that the way children approach things is often better then how most adults contend with the issues of God and faith.

Let's compare. When children ask questions...do you remember how there is an endless succession of why? why? why? why? But at the heart of it is a genuine desire for understanding.

Adults, typically have emotional baggage attached to everything they believe...you know in the back of your mind that the consequences of realizing that maybe you are wrong about something

means the difficult task of changing. And as adults we are quite set in our habits. It is so hard to be wrong and to have to change and do things differently.

So I'm suggesting that often when we approach God and faith, as adults we often come with our own self-interest and our own agenda. We twist and manipulate as much as we possibly can everything to make sense in our own personal world view. We forget our limitations and we give our ego far too much credit.

Can I suggest that we soften our hearts towards faith and God. Give the benefit of the doubt that if there is a loving God worth knowing, that everything he wants for us, he wants solely for our own good and benefit. Can we have child like faith, in that when we ask the endless succession of why, we let go of our own agenda and self-interest...and practice a little child like trust.

Be guarded against the guy on TV at 3am saying "for only $3.99 plux tax we will ship you the air that Jesus breathed which will fix your marriage!"

But I think to the man/God who said "Love your neighbor as yourself"

and "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

I think to him...we can risk a little trust.