A conversation occurred a couple thousand years ago that sheds light on a simple truth for the Sabbath and every day we draw breath. “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to Him a child, He put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”
Looking at life through the eyes of young child or even a newborn can help bring peace to our spirit and rest for mind and body. Often, to escape life’s stresses, people seek possessions, substances, and other pleasures that lead to sorrow. A very young child or newborn, by contrast, is often satisfied with the simplest thing and looks to his parents as the God-given source of comfort. God can quiet any storm, meet any need, and His love is real and forever.
Our family was blessed about seven weeks ago with the birth of our 6th child, Caleb Nathaniel. How does he view life? Quite simply I imagine. He gets his milk, is lulled to sleep, and enjoys total love from his Mommy and the rest of the family. So he is happy. He is not concerned about the societal issues that make headlines today, nor is he concerned about what he will eat or what he will wear. In his eyes, Mommy takes care of all these things.
And so in our lives, we have a God who fulfills all the best part of our dreams—and even better, His dreams for us. God tells us not to be “anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” He goes on to say, “The Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”
So, do we have worries? If we do, let’s cast them on Him. Caleb knows that Mommy will take care of him, and not because she tells him she will, but because she just does it. And so let’s remember the lesson of a little child: Do not fret, God will take care of everything.
We’re thankful for what we do have: food, clothing, family, and friends, and of course a loving God who is watching over us for good all the time. We’re encouraged not to borrow the “worries of tomorrow,” because He cares for us. Our little Caleb does let us know when he is hungry, and so we let God know that we want Him, that we need Him, and that we trust His loving care.
Let’s live this Sabbath day, and every day, in the grace and glory of our God and His love. Let’s be like the little child who does not obsess with the “worries” around him, but rests in the love that surrounds him. God always has us in His hands.
Bless you this Sabbath and always.
