How is it that one so little, who can’t even talk, can paint such beautiful pictures of the Christian life? I sat wondering that after getting off the phone with my mom yesterday. Perhaps it’s that she’s not that far removed from eternity yet. Or because, through our children, we get a glimpse of the Father’s heart. Or perhaps it’s because there is a God who is kind enough to speak to humankind and creative and caring enough to speak to our individual hearts in whatever way we’ll hear, through whatever is in our sphere of attention. I’m inclined to think it’s a combination of all three.

 This morning I find myself contemplating Matthew 18:3 when Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I think back over the past six months with my sweet daughter and think of some of the moments that stand out – moments where I got a glimpse of something sweetly supernatural, something beautifully innocent and yet acutely impactful – for me and other family members. Let me share a few—

 My daughter seems to think she has one purpose in life – to stare at her daddy until he looks her way and she can smile at him. For months she has spent literally hours doing this. She finds him in a room and stares at him, unblinkingly, without looking away, until he looks at her and she catches his eye. Then her beautiful face unfolds into a blindingly bright smile that melts his heart everytime. It’s always met with a reaction from him, a response to her unwavering gaze and happy sign of affection. One morning we were sitting in church and Chris was holding Alija on his lap. She was lying in his arms, her eyes intent on his face. He was listening to the sermon, watching the pastor. Feeling her gaze, he glanced down. The second his eyes met hers, she smiled. A beautiful, charming, joyful smile that not only expressed her pleasure in being noticed by her dad, but also her confidence in how he felt about her and the place she held in his heart. It was obvious that she had no doubt how he would respond; and he didn’t let her down. He smiled and made a face at her, drawing a sweet baby chuckle. Throughout the rest of the sermon, he glanced at her often, his mind as much on her as the words coming forth from the pulpit, and everytime he did, Ali smiled. With her steady gaze and shameless display of affection, she had captured his heart and his attention yet again.

 I sat there beside them, having watched the moment unfold and felt a small whisper of something significant cross the quiet places of my heart. It was as if the Father God was saying, “Look at me like that.” In that instant I understood the meaning of Song of Songs 4:9 when it says, “You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride, you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes.” Other versions say ‘captured’ or ‘captivated’ instead of stolen. Ali had captivated her dad with simply her eyes and her smile. Watching them, I thought, wow, do I stare at my Father with such an unending gaze, watching His face so diligently that I smile the moment He looks at me so He knows how much I love Him? Can He see my love in how diligently I look to Him? Am I always looking for opportunities to lavish my affection on Him? I’ve been struck by the same revelation several times since, watching Ali watch her daddy.

 A month or so after that, we took my brother to our church youth group (there’s a nine year gap between us). I held Ali during the service and I think Chris and I enjoyed the worship and message as much as the youth! (So thankful to belong to a church with a rockin’ youth group and a great youth pastor!) When we got back out to the car, I asked Brandon what he thought of the service and he said he liked it and it was exactly what he needed to hear; not what he wanted to hear, he assured me, but what he needed to hear. As we got in, he went on to say that he had learned a valuable lesson. I was glad to hear that he had been paying attention… but was surprised when he said he had learned it by watching Ali. When I asked what he meant, he said he had been watching her during the service and could tell she was starting to get hungry. Instead of crying, she started looking at me. Knowing she was hungry, I prepared her bottle and fed her. She watched me while she drank her milk. He said he realized that we should be like that – always looking to our Father to give us what we need, to feed us on His Word and to give us His living water. When we look to Him when hungry and thirsty, He gives us food and drink.  Despite the great sermon and beautiful worship, that was the lesson Brandon took away from youth group that night.

 Just yesterday I got a phone call from my mom, who is experiencing some rocky circumstances. The day before we had stopped by her house while we were out running errands and she had given Ali a bottle while we visited. While Ali was drinking her bottle, pausing now and then to look around the room, bat at the dog, or pull her grandma’s curly hair, I had made the observation that she has plenty to eat, yet she doesn’t spend a moment worrying where her next meal will come from. We discussed how she doesn’t worry about how she will get everything done that she needs to do, if we have enough formula and baby food to meet her needs, if she’ll be warm enough or if she’ll have a place to sleep when she gets tired. She doesn’t begin to worrying that if she doesn’t figure out a way to get formula, that she’ll go hungry. She trusts us. She knows that we love her and will take care of her. She knows her needs will be met. It was quick bunny trail in our conversation, there and gone in a matter of moments. 
 
While on the phone yesterday, I asked my mom how she was doing. (Anyone who has ever been in circumstances which make hope feel distant knows it can be a moment by moment, day by day thing.) She said that she had done her devotions the evening before and again yesterday morning and felt so encouraged. Ever since she had been holding Ali and realized that she didn’t worry about what she would eat or how to get everything done or where she would sleep, she had felt so much peace. It was a moment, she said. A moment in which she knew she was being reminded of something significant, something true. She (my mom) is cared for. She has someone to trust – someone who knows her needs and is prepared and able to meet them.

 Three such seemingly insignificant moments, three very simple, very elementary lessons. And yet, sometimes in the midst of everyday life that gets busy and sometimes overwhelming, sometimes God, in His goodness, reaches down from heaven to remind us of truth. 

Our God is a good Father. Whatever you need, He can supply. You are His favored one. He is captivated, captured, stolen, by one glance from you. Are you watching Him? Are you smiling at Him? Is your affection for Him written all over your face everytime He glances your way? Are you looking to Him when you are hungry and thirsty? Are you trusting that He is a good Father who knows what you need? Is your heart at rest, knowing He anticipates your needs and already has a plan to meet them?

These are three things I needed to be reminded of, as did members of my family, and the reminders came through a sweet little baby with big eyes that change colors and a toothless smile – a baby who has not yet uttered the name of Jesus or read one verse out of His Word. She is simply a child, who, in her childlikeness, demonstrates the Kingdom. 

God speaks to us through creation. This January I encourage you to look around you to see what God is using to demonstrate Kingdom principles to you. He is speaking hope, encouragement, wisdom, grace, love and identity; will you hear Him?

Luke 11:9-12, Matthew 6:25-33