Convo with Pastor - Psalm 8:1-2

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens. 

From the lips of children and infants

you have ordained praise ...

to silence the foe and the avenger.

Psalm 8:1-2

 

I've often said that I have never had a question from an adult that I cannot answer ... but ... I get them all the time from kids.

 

With questions from adults, if I need, I can research, use analogies, dance around thorny issues, weave the discussion to a safer topic, and usually just talk long enough that the adult says, "Close enough." Kids, however, cut right to the heart and refuse bluster and fog! They want the truth.

 

Psalm 8 is power hymn in praise of God's creation.

 

In Romans 1:20-21, Paul testifies to the witness that creation provides, saying, "Ever since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So [we] are without excuse; for though [we] knew God, [we] did not honor him as God or give thanks to him."

 

Children comprehend the wonder of creation naturally. But most of us adults have had pieces of our natural wonder explained away. We take God's power for granted. We look for worldly explanations to life. As Paul says -- concluding his thought in Romans 1:21 -- "we bec[o]me futile in [our] thinking, and [our] senseless minds [a]re darkened.

 

Therefore, in Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, "Unless you turn ... and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of God." Ouch! Maybe it's time to listen to "the lips of children and infants" from them comes "praise" and their simple clarity "silence[s faith's] foe[s]."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who want to be

more childish

(or at least more child-like)

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I love talking about spiritual matters with my 7 year old son. He is such a sharp kid.  And his questions are insightful - especially for one so young.  A trick I have employed is to ask him questions about a sermon or topic and when he starts asking harder questions - as he quickly does - I tell him to go get Pastor and ask him.  So ... it is coming from a child, but Pastor's responses are always great.  [And then the 7yo goes deeper theologically and we are all stumped!]

I would love to have faith like my son's ... accepting, sometimes questioning, but will accept the answers from one in authority, honest ... often I am so jaded and cynical that even asking the questions, singing the praise and simple worship is near impossible. Why is it we make things so complicated??