Abundance of Joy

by Sarah Huth

This summer we have had an abundance of raspberries on our bushes.  The only thing I love more about eating fresh picked berries is to watch my children eat and enjoy them – knowing how good they are for them.

I decided to make jelly with some of the berries and one morning I had a tray filled with them on the dining room table.  My 18 month old daughter was happily playing with Legos, so I decided to start the berry “cleaning process” (i.e.: looking over the berries for bugs).  My daughter immediately thought it necessary to join in on this fun, so she crawled up into my lap.  Before I could stop her, she grabbed the big, juicy berries with both hands and stuffed them in her mouth – smearing them all over her face and hands.  The delight she experienced in doing this was beautiful.  She couldn’t believe that she had piles of these delicious fruits right in front of her, at her disposal, and she fully enjoyed them (bugs and all, might I add…)  Even after I put her down on the floor, her little hand reached up to grab more berries.

Watching the joy in my young child’s eyes at having all she wanted within reach struck me.  Our relationship with Jesus is just like this.  He is at our disposal – anytime and anywhere.  There is nothing we need to do, nothing we need to prove.  He delights in our joy, and loves having a relationship with His children.

Matthew 18:3 says “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Watch for the pure joy in your children’s eyes as they play and enjoy life – this is the kind of faith the Christ wants us to enjoy as well.

How do you cultivate childlike faith?  Has watching your children ever inspired this in you?