So you think you're only a baby???



Today, I was reading something in Matthew that struck a resonance with my very being. It was when Jesus said this prayer, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes...even so Father, for it seemed good in your sight" (Matthew 11:25-26)
God can use anything. If He could cause a donkey to speak to a man, why can't He use anything else He chooses to use? If He can raise up stones to give Him His praise, then why can't He reveal His secrets to the least noble of men? It made me realize that sometimes human beings may clamor for the highest titles, but yet God can skip all highly titled persons, and go right to the young dame or lad who has yet not one title. At least He has a resume/CV of doing that in the past. Wasn't He the One who skipped all of David's mighty brothers and selected David while he was yet tending sheep in the backyard?
Imagine this scenario...a father calling his 5-yr old son and saying, "hey buddy, I wanna tell you a secret." The 5-yr old runs straight right onto daddy's laps and squeezes his ears on daddy's lips. And daddy finally whispers, "I bought a new car for mummy but we can't let her know until tomorrow, okay?" And the little boy grins and goes back to playing with his toys.

In that scenario, the father trusted his young 5 yr-old not to tell his mum this fabulous surprise secret. Of course not all 5 yr-olds can be trusted in that fashion, if he was a very loud-mouthed child his dad would make it a surprise for both mum and child. But in this case, we see that the father trusted his son not to tell. There must have been a reason for that trust. In the past, there may have been a minor occurrence that caused the father to know the character of his son, despite how young he was.

In the same way, God can definitely place His trust in babes. You may be a baby in the knowledge of His word, but God was the One who formed your inward parts and made you in secret (ps 139), He knows your strengths and your weaknesses, and He knows you more than you even know yourself! He knows your character, your intelligence, and your capacities. And He knows when and if you can be trusted.

You need not have any title in a church, neither do you need any title in your office or in your bank account. You don't need to know all the scriptures in the bible, neither do you need to be a graduate from a bible-reading college. You don't need a voice, neither do you need a note-book. You don't need a car, neither do you need a jet. You don't need the most fashionable clothes, neither do you need to be a run-way model. You don't need a degree in theology, neither do you need a degree in math or science. You just need to have the capacity to be trusted by God...you just need to thirst for His water. You know how babies thirst for their mother's milk? Yes, in the same fashion...you just need to look up to God, hungry for His word.

Those who are known to be wise and prudent sometimes don't understand when they make a mistake, or when they don't understand. They may get caught up in the facade that they know everything, which is usually not true. Only God knows everything. It is good to be considered "wise," but let it never reach a level where you are not TEACHABLE (reminds me of Kafo's post).

I want to be a babe that can be trusted... I want to be a babe in the womb leaping for joy at the sound of His voice... I want to be a babe, not overly familiar with the voice of God... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the anointing of my pastor... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the doctrines of the church... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the parables and the word... I want to be a babe...able to hold the secrets and revelations of God in high esteem...

Picture credit: Jennifer Loomis photography 2004

18 comments:

God's child said...

I miss that innocence of a child, sometimes I wish I didnt have worldly knowledge, where I can be like an 18mth old who you'll tell to go right and he/she wont ask why not left. To say Lord here I am, send me, at the drop of a dime, without even for a sec wondering why, what, maybe.
Thats how God wants us to be, like babies to Him, completely trusting Him, knowing that since He's there, He'll catch us before we fall and hurt ourselves.

EDNUTEY said...

I want to be a babe that can be trusted... I want to be a babe in the womb leaping for joy at the sound of His voice... I want to be a babe, not overly familiar with the voice of God... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the anointing of my pastor... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the doctrines of the church... I want to be a babe, not too familiar with the parables and the word... I want to be a babe...able to hold the secrets and revelations of God in high esteem...

EDNUTEY said...

I ask for that too...ur post is inspiring jaycee...I'll be back...

Kafo said...

hmmmm
well said
there is something about thinking you are smart and actually being wise. Wisdom is what i seek and if i have to bug my heavenly father constantly like a 5 year old who wants a popsicle then so be it

Kafo said...

this is an old song
but i don't know this brenton guy. hmmm let mii go and find out more about him.


out

bighead said...

May I add here that the hunger you described has to be sincere, it has to come from deep down within. If it is feigned, it will not be sustained.
I wonder if I've been feigning hunger; am slowly working to have true hunger.

Olubern said...

I want to be mature christian and not get used to God. A babe has a open heart. Sometimes we try to make things too complicated, but we don't really have to be so smart. We can't learn a thing until we soften our hearts.

An-Igbo-Dude said...

true talk

i agree with u totally

God works in mysterious ways

Jennifer A. said...

@ God's child...hmmm...the innocence of a child...oh I LONG FOR THAT!!!

@ Sparkle...we'll get it definitely...ask and you shall receive. What we're asking is what God wants for us, so all the more reason why He should give it to us. I believe it is through being TEACHABLE that God can reveal secret things to us, and if we have to be as innocent as babies to become teachable...so be it...

@ Kafo, ur words are truely like gold u know...there is indeed a difference in trying to be SMART and actually being WISE in the sense of the word. Infact if one is truly wise, then one will understand the riches of being TEACHABLE...(but if u're trying to be smart then u'll get mixed up in a sense of "false wisdom").

@ bighead...cheers to working on TRUE HUNGER. It will not be feigned anymore in Jesus Name...God is looking for only a select few individuals now (Gideon's 300) who are really HONESTLY ready to sell their lives just for the kingdom of God. The whole earth is waiting for the TRUE manifestations of the sons of God. No more platitudes...

@ Bernard...I pray I learn how not to make things overly complicated, it's a waste of my precious time...

@ an ibo dude...u know what I'm saying man? lol...amen to that!

Unknown said...

Very nice

Uzo said...

Love the new template.

There had to be a reason why there is this old adage: "Out of the mouth of babes"

Unknown said...

i want to be a babe...
nice one

Mimi said...

something happened to me yesterday evening....cant even begin to describe it...God IS AWESOME!

it made me feel small (like a child) and its funny cos that's the name of my blog...no matter how mature i get in Christ, I will always be a child to Him..because it is such a lovely relationship... the one I have with my Father..

the one where I call him 'Father' and he loving responds to me..

I am a babe to Him.

Mimi said...

whr r my manners...hi jaycee :) i got carried away...i missed TERC ystrdy morning, had to go with my brother to the airport...can someone update the website...cos i dont really like missing the topics.

how r u darling?

Anonymous said...

i'm still chugging along, trying to get there :( :-/

nice post, as usual...

GERALD said...

Thanks so much Gal..
God can chose to do anything using anything...
baby picture looks so innocent

Ope Adebayo said...

Wow... This is really deep and inspiring.Thanks 4 sharing, God bless you.

Jennifer A. said...

You're very welcome, Ope. Glad you were able to read this :)