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PROGRAM D-7937
We know from scripture that without faith it is impossible to please God, and the kind of faith that pleases God is child-like faith. Frequently our faith is more childish than it is child-like. Our challenge is to nurture child-like faith and eliminate childish faith.
There are many examples in Scripture of child-like faith. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego demonstrated child-like faith when they were facing the fiery furnace. They told King Nebuchadnezzar, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).
In child-likeness, these grown men, who were among the most intellectual and educated men of their time, chose not to concern themselves with the great matter of how God would deliver them from the furnace. They neither went into panic mode, nor into denial about the furnace in front of them. They recognized the reality of their predicament and—without questioning, complaining, or worrying—they chose to trust God in an uncomplicated, simple way. That is child-like faith.
Think of the centurion who approached Jesus about healing his servant. Think about Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, who asked Jesus to come heal his daughter. Think about Peter stepping out on the water to walk to Jesus. Their faith was child-like. They had no regard for what others thought about them, nor did they worry about looking foolish.
In Luke 7 we read about the Roman Centurion who asked Jesus to heal his sick servant. Here was a Roman soldier who demonstrated great faith in Jesus, believing that he could heal his servant by just speaking a word, without even seeing the servant.
When Jesus heard this, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (Luke 7:9). Jesus was amazed at his faith. It was a child-like faith, unconcerned about what others would think, and willing to humbly ask Jesus to do what he himself could not do.
Ask yourself this: Is my faith child-like or childish?