Fresh and New

What is he thinking? So small, so vulnerable, so adorable. What could be going through his little brain?

Is he thinking about his next meal or nap time? Perhaps he is wondering who is going to pick him up and cuddle him, smothering him in kisses. Maybe he is watching his big sister and wondering how long it will be before he can do what she is doing.

What must it be like to see everything fresh and new? Every day is a new learning experience when seen through "new" eyes.

We can have that same experience by reading our Bible every day and walking close to the Lord. He opens our eyes so that we see things from a fresh, new perspective.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5, New International Version)

Wow! We, too, can see through "fresh" eyes, much the same as a newborn baby, discovering the many wonders in the world around us. We can gain strength through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! We can learn to appreciate the "newness" we see all around us. We can grow to become the man or woman of God that he wants us to be.

A Quiet Hush

In the quiet of the early morning hours, a hush fell over the trees, which were shrouded in a thick, dense fog. Everything took on an eerie appearance in the gray stillness. A few people were in the park playing Frisbee golf or feeding the geese. Even these could not break the silence that hung over the trees.

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Psalm 24:1, New International Version)

In the peace and stillness of the morning, I can see the Lord's handiwork in all that He has made. What better place to draw close to the Lord than in the quiet of an early morning?

Just do it!

Have you ever noticed that when a child does something out of the ordinary, they jump in with both feet? They don't stop to analyze what is going to happen or why they are doing it; they just do it.

They do it because they are ready and willing to experience new things. They do it because they are doing it with someone special. They do it.....because.

As we get older, we are less inclined to jump in with both feet to accomplish a task. We tend to analyze and evaluate and weigh the results before we even take a step to start the task. Why? It may have something to do with the fact that our minds are littered with "tasks gone bad". How many times has a simple task turned into a lengthy chore? A project that we thought would take a couple of hours takes a couple of days instead.

Perhaps we need some of the childlike innocence in our lives, the willingness to do and not worry about the consequences (within reason, of course!).

The Bible says, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3, New International Version) There is a difference between "childish" and "childlike". Jesus wants us to open our minds and have the simple trust and loving obedience that is characteristic of children. These are character traits that are highly treasured in the kingdom of heaven.

Simple trust, loving obedience--character traits of children--these are the desirable traits in the children of God who long to share heaven with Jesus.