God’s Children
In Matthew 18:3-4 ESV, Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The kingdom of God is for those who are openly and desperately dependent on God. You can’t be in control and immersed in the kingdom simultaneously. Even if your life is filled with religious or Christian activity, kingdom involvement is primarily about humbling ourselves for God to work through us.
God can do more through humble obedience than he can through someone who has it all together. That doesn’t mean we can ignore maturity and opt for reckless reactivity in our faith. It means that our hearts need to be humble and responsive before God.
Children do not hide their need for their parents, so why do we mask our need for God? God is a Father, and he knows that we need him. We get farther in the kingdom when we lean into this.
Yet many of us feel the pressure to “fix ourselves” before coming to God. The enemy will double down on rejection and condemnation to try and convince us that we are a burden to God unless we have something to impress him. Meanwhile, God invites the weak, powerless, outcast, and unworthy to be partakers in his kingdom story.
Abiding Daily is lived out in every moment of our lives, but today I want us to press into the aspect of abiding that takes place in the secret place of prayer. Today, we build history with God as we learn what it means to become like a child before him.
Spend some time surrendering your need for control. Receive the grace to live more fully in the kingdom. It is so much easier to receive God’s love and blessing as a daughter or son than as a worker.
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Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
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