Out of the Mouth . . .

And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, and said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]'" (Matthew 18:2-3).

I've pondered this verse many times. Actually, I've pondered a paraphrase of this verse -- "you must become like a child" -- and thought to myself, "What does it mean become like little children? How do we do that? What is God asking of us?"

Tonight, I saw the word repent for the first time. In another translation, it reads change. Yet, in another, it reads turn. They all apply.

And they are things we must do over and over again to remain truly trusting, lowly, loving and forgiving. We repent of our state before a holy God. We surrender ourselves to change in our hearts and in our minds so that more and more we resemble His Firstborn (Colossians 1:15).

And we turn from every thought, every word and every deed that does not flow from intimate devotion to Him.

Tonight, as I put my four-year-old to bed. She prayed something annointed and beautiful. She is wise in spirit beyond her years. She understands the core Truth that some miss for a lifetime. She declares it even though there are mysteries in what she says that I know she can't fully comprehend.

Her prayer was to her heavenly Daddy, and it flowed out of child's surrendered heart. Hers is the surrender that Jesus says is the only way into the Kingdom.

God has never cared for our fancy words. This is how I want to pray:

" Thank You God for this day. I love You, God. I want You to do anything. I want You to do everything. Don't let us do anything bad, because You want us to be good. You want to stay with us. You don't want us to leave You. You want us to be with You. You don't want the devil to get us. Because You are in our heart, and we are in Your heart. You want us to do anything You say. You want to love us. You want to hug us. You want to kiss us. Thank You, God. I love You. I love You. I love You. I love You. You are my Lord. A-men."