"Priorities' -- Insights

Faith like a child. We all have said the same thing that Ethan (Brent's son) had said many times in our Walk, but I think the difference is the fact that Ethan actually believes what he says. I am not saying that our words aren't as truthful, but we have greater chances in our lives to prove that we love other things more than God.

Two children in my family have just undergone major medical surgeries. The first one is my nephew Logan (age 5) who has Cerebral Palsy. His procedure was a 5-7 hour journey into Logan's spinal cord,, where the doctor poked and prodded around, and then severed 58% of the spastic sensory nerves going down to his legs. Logan expected to walk when he woke up from the ordeal. Instead, 5 days later he still had not taken a step and was bound to a wheel chair. The difference between him and me was the fact that he was singing praise songs (which he makes up himself). He does this because he still loves God even though he couldn't walk yet. A grown up like myself would be singing the same song, not because we feel it, but because we know we should and maybe this will convince God that we are a good candidate for a blessing. Yes, a sign of mature Christianity is praising God even in the storms, so don't stop even if your faith is not like a child's.

Gavin is my cousins 2 year old son. Diagnosed two weeks ago with a brain tumor. Had the tumor taken out and now has a long prescription of cancer treatment (IE. radiation and chemo). My Cousin and his wife are devastated, and for good reason. One night last weekend Gavin's mom walked into his hospital room (3am ) and saw Gavin upright holding his arms out. Heather, his mom, asked him what he was doing and he replied, "I am hugging the angel." I think it takes faith like a child to make what is invisible, visible. Priorities, even in the midst of his storm he is embracing God's messenger.

Logan is walking and Gavin needs your prayers. The update tonight for Gavin isn't as good as his family would want. He needs all of our prayers. Most of the time I do not understand God's providence, and I really don't think any of us care to figure it out. In this case I think we need to be like a child and expect God to do what only God can do. Isn't that what we expect dads to do?

I guess faith like a child is: to tell everyone that God is more important than everyone else (Luke 14:26); to praise God when we are in pain and can't function (Psalm 42:5); and to embrace divinity when we don't know or comprehend what the outcome will or should be for our lives.