Faith Like A Child

By Kim Longden

Oswald Chambers, a preacher who lived in the late 1800’s, says:

A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to “live and move and have our being” in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him…

Anyone who has been the mom of very young children has likely experienced this complete absorption that Oswald Chambers speaks of. A crying baby can be calmed just by seeing his mother’s face and taken into her arms. A toddler brings every worry, boo-boo, and problem to momma with the confidence that she can make it better. How much little children abide in, and focus on, their mother can be beautiful, awesome, overwhelming, and exhausting all at the same time (especially if you are the mother!).

I’ve observed our littles cling to me during their younger years, and that image has stuck with me: we abide in God as a young child abides in their mother.

Recently, our four-year-old daughter had a medical procedure to close a hole in her heart. In the days leading up to the procedure I explained to her what would happen as best as I could. She seemed totally fine with everything, and as I inwardly found my own nervousness growing, I asked her if she was nervous. “Yeah, a little,” she cheerfully replied, “but I know you’ll be with me, so it’s OK.” 

I was immediately reminded of these words by Oswald Chambers. Here my little girl was, walking into a situation that she didn’t fully understand, filled with unknowns, but she knew that her momma would be with her; and that was enough for her to trust.

As the faith of little children often does, this demonstration of trust made me pause and reflect. What if I looked at God the same way little children look at their mommas? What if, instead of stewing about whether we had chosen the right hospital, or how COVID stuff would play into all of this—what if I just remembered that God would be with us, so it would all be OK? What if I had the faith of a child and could walk into situations that I don’t fully understand, filled with unknowns, and just… trust? 

As the date of the procedure came closer and we walked through each step of preparation (made a bit trickier due to COVID precautions), I kept thinking of my daughter’s perspective during these new and unknown situations. “I’m nervous, but God is with us, so it’s OK.”

Finally, the big day came, and it was time for the doctor to have one last consultation before taking her back to the operating room. After discussing everything, he unexpectedly folded his hands and asked if he could pray with us. Our doctor then committed the procedure to God’s care.

I smiled with tears in my eyes thinking about all my stewing over whether we had picked the right physician for my daughter. Momma would be with her right until she fell asleep, but Jesus had confirmed that He had been and would be with her the whole time. No matter what happened, she would not walk through any of this alone.

God is so good! And the Spirit reaches into our lives to comfort and reassure us! Thank you, Jesus!

So now as I continue to walk forward in life through the many unknowns and situations I don’t understand, I pray that I’ll remember the way my littles have abided in me. May their childlike faith be an example for me to abide in God this same way, with utter dependence; to say, “I’m nervous, but God is with me so it’s OK” and just… trust.