Babies, Dependence and Following God

The light is on in the nursery down the hall. It's 5:15 a.m. but this will be the fourth time Micah has eaten since 10:00 last night. It's been a good night. He slept one 3-hour stretch.

I had forgotten how it was.

A newborn baby can eat ten or more times a day. If he is a slow eater, each feeding can last up to 40 minutes. That's a lot of time spent eating.

And that is only one of a baby's needs.

Babies are totally dependent.

For diaper changing.

For food.

For clothing.

For comfort.

For everything.

In a normal, healthy parent-child relationship, the child moves from total dependence to a gradual independence, until the day they are ready to live life apart from the parents.

This is how things are meant to be.

The spiritual life is completely opposite.

We enter into the spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father totally independent, used to having our own way. Sin is, in fact, living life as if we don't need God. Or want Him.

Growing in spiritual maturity means going from independence to total dependence on God.*

Perhaps this is why Jesus said three times (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16):

"Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

Did you catch that?

The little children. The most dependent. The tiniest ones. The most needy of care.

With complete trust, they rest in the arms of their Father.

It is to these the kingdom of God belongs.

What do you think about your independence vs dependence on God?

_______________________

* thought from Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson.