Eyes of a Child

As I have shared previously, our family hot tub has turned into my prayer closet. Those moments of sitting out there at night once the kids have gone to sleep, have become invaluable. Even if it is just a couple minutes of silence from our world of chaos and noise. Recently that has changed a little bit though. With the temperatures changing and it getting colder out, all our kids have taken to it as their swimming pool. Now it seems a few nights a week, one of the girls will say as clear as can be, “hot tub, hot tub.” So who can turn down that family time right?

At first I was honestly frustrated, arguing with God, “but that is my time.” (Talk about being selfish). Honestly it turns into a comedy hour. Seriously, I encourage you now to picture yourself in this scene. All of us jammed into a 4 person inflatable hot tub, with not much room to spare. Eli trying to swim laps under everyone else’s legs, Silas acting like he is falling off the side to see how big of splash he can make. The twins learning to get their head under the water or to hold on the side while kicking their feet. Let’s just say a lot of laughter and joy takes places in these precious few moments.

Anyway, I share all that because last week I was explaining to them about it being my prayer closet; my moments to just sit and talk to Jesus. Silas then asked me if he could talk to Jesus like that. “Absolutely bud. What would you want to say to him?” His answer truly caught me off guard. “Dad, I think I would just say, Jesus I believe in you.” I really didn’t know how to respond. “Is that all you’d say or ask?” His eyes started looking around and you could tell his mind was searching, then simply, “yep, that’s all I’d say, I believe in you.”

So simple, yet so profound. What if our faith as adults was just that simple. Instead of overthinking or trying to explain everything. Instead of thinking we need magic words or long drawn out prayers. Just a simple, “Jesus, I believe in you.”

Moments like that make me truly grateful for little kids and their simple minds. I am learning to embrace the everyday conversations where God continues to teach me through my kids. Faith through the eyes of a child. Maybe that is what God will teach me more of in 2024, to have faith like a child, what about you?

“Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Matthew 18:3-4 NLT