Isn't it obvious?

The imagination of a child is a phenomenal thing to watch & hear. I love to listen to kids use their imaginations when playing with toys, drawing, writing or even just dressing up in character inspired clothes. They use such imagery when reciting who is playing what role, where they are going in their make believe and what they will do when they arrive. The fully immerse themselves in the story. And they believe it.

And then we grow up.

And the struggles that come with walking the journey of life quickly take over the imaginative road we once lived on. You see, even in my dysfunction as a kid, I still day-dreamed. I would spend hours imagining a different world that I partook in, a world that in no way resembled my current reality as a kid. Children have the ability to do that, to escape into a far away Kingdom; whether that child intentionally wants to escape their current situation or they simply are just doing what kids do, they can pretend up the most beautiful of Kingdoms!

Child-like faith is phenomenal really. They just believe. And they generally believe the best in people and in situations. There is nothing like having a conversation with a kid, is there? For example, Lily (age 6) just walked into my room and I said, "Lily, what comes to mind when I ask you what a Kingdom is?" She says, "really? It's obvious."

Ooookkk. Clearly she gets her sarcasm from me. Moving on.

Jesus referenced having a child-like faith often. He said in Luke 18 that we need to receive the Kingdom of God like a child would. So how would a child receive it? Well, if you are Lily, it's obvious. But to those of us that are not as wise as my fashionista 6 year old, let's chat about it.

Believe. I think it's truly that simple. Believe. Kids just believe. It's only been until our most recent trip to Disneyland that our girls are beginning to be aware that it's not all real. For years and years and they truly believed that when they took a picture with Cinderella it sincerely was the maiden that gained a fairy god-mother, lost her glass slipper and in so doing lived happily ever after. They just believed.

The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God has "set eternity in the hearts of men." We were created in the image of God. So whether you choose or reject His Son, He still created you & I with this glimpse of glory on the inside of us. Another translation says that God "planted" eternity in our hearts. So He created us with a Kingdom seed on the inside of us; a seed, that when fed and watered, it has the potential to grow and bloom and cause us do amazing things with our lives!

But we have to believe. God would will for all of us to believe in Him, but He certainly won't force us. He brings people into our lives to water that planted seed of eternity that's been set in us, however we can choose to allow the seed to lie dormant, never accepting that precious love that God has to give. But oh goodness, the joy that awaits those that believe! Our minds can't begin to imagine what God has prepared for us; both here on earth and in Heaven above. There will come a time that our breath here on earth will be absolutely final and in that moment our spirit will slip into our forever home. Those that have believed in Jesus will join a presence that we cannot comprehend here on this earth!

Believe. The things that God can accomplish through a life that simply believes...it's a road less traveled. Because when you are a person that believes you are a person that refuses to live in fear. A person that believes is a person that suits up for the battle, regardless of how difficult it is. A person that believes is a person that loves, in spite of a billion reasons not to love. A person that believes is a person that lives in absolute peace, because that person knows God is in complete control over every situation. A person that believes is a person that prospers, because that person dares to believe the promises of God in every area of life and when you dare to believe in a promise, you can't help but prosper in it! Believe. Believe. Believe.

After all, isn't it obvious?