And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3
The mind of a small child is not yet filled with detailed information, responsibilities, or his or her own importance - so it's the heart, not the mind, that draws the child to what is important.
Like the disciples, we have fallen prey to logic. We are so busy with the knowledge of God that we have lost sight of what's important. That's why Jesus said that we need to become like little children. God touches our heart, and our perspective begins to change. Scripture says: "I will give you a new heart . . . I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. 36:26). In other words, our hearts will become tender toward God and toward our world. And - just as the words to the song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love say - "love changes everything." Love touches us, and we are changed!
God reaches out to all of us. He calls us to surrender all we know and open our hearts to his transforming love. He knows that the ability of the small child to be totally absorbed by something is what we need to recapture if we are to come to him wholeheartedly.
When we see our littleness in comparison to God's greatness, then we will humble ourselves and become like little children, welcoming the kingdom of God into our lives. Taking a few minutes each day for the faithful practice of the prayer of love will help us get things in perspective. It transforms us. Our pride and arrogance begin to melt away in the warm glow of God's unconditional love as he draws us, his beloved children, into the family circle of the Trinity.
In the prayer of silence, our tender, loving God holds us close to his heart and immerses us in the mystery of His love. The eyes of our heart will be opened so that we see the Lord who dwells within us. As we see God for who He is, we see ourselves as we truly are - humble, precious, and beloved children of the Father.
Jan Harris, Quiet in His Presence
The mind of a small child is not yet filled with detailed information, responsibilities, or his or her own importance - so it's the heart, not the mind, that draws the child to what is important.
Like the disciples, we have fallen prey to logic. We are so busy with the knowledge of God that we have lost sight of what's important. That's why Jesus said that we need to become like little children. God touches our heart, and our perspective begins to change. Scripture says: "I will give you a new heart . . . I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezek. 36:26). In other words, our hearts will become tender toward God and toward our world. And - just as the words to the song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love say - "love changes everything." Love touches us, and we are changed!
God reaches out to all of us. He calls us to surrender all we know and open our hearts to his transforming love. He knows that the ability of the small child to be totally absorbed by something is what we need to recapture if we are to come to him wholeheartedly.
When we see our littleness in comparison to God's greatness, then we will humble ourselves and become like little children, welcoming the kingdom of God into our lives. Taking a few minutes each day for the faithful practice of the prayer of love will help us get things in perspective. It transforms us. Our pride and arrogance begin to melt away in the warm glow of God's unconditional love as he draws us, his beloved children, into the family circle of the Trinity.
In the prayer of silence, our tender, loving God holds us close to his heart and immerses us in the mystery of His love. The eyes of our heart will be opened so that we see the Lord who dwells within us. As we see God for who He is, we see ourselves as we truly are - humble, precious, and beloved children of the Father.
Jan Harris, Quiet in His Presence
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