Receiving Like Children

Andrew (8) playing with space lego yesterday at our home.

Yesterday our grandson, Andrew spent most of the day with me. We had such a precious time together. I wanted to bless the socks off him, and he had absolutely no problem receiving it.
From the time he walked through the door just after 8 AM I gave him the biggest hug I could and called him "Prince" because he is God's special child, the son of the King of Kings. (We really became connected after one of those hugs when his new mouth appliance got hooked up in my sweater =). They are all so very special and I love one on one time with them to enjoy their uniqueness and lavish them with love - just like our Heavenly Father wants to with us.
Anything Andrew wanted within reason I wanted to give to him. (Hang on, I'm making a point!) His favorite sandwich, ice cream, mango, berry smoothie, playing with space legos, and chess, chess, chess! (He has become quite the chess player now!) He received it all, and what a joy it was to watch his excitement playing chess with me. At times he could hardly contain himself! I loved every minute with him (as I do with all our grandchildren).
Well , last night we has our good friends over, Donna and Craig (up from S. Carolina), and what an incredible blessing it was. They were here at 4 PM and we thought we would go to the mid-week service with them at 7 PM, but the Lord had other plans ( we had "church" at home instead =)
We had a great time of fellowship and prayer together. Craig asked us if we could pray for him as God was revealing something to him as we were talking. He had a need and he humbly took it to the Lord, making himself vulnerable, and we believed and agreed with him in prayer. The box of tissues came out. This triggered something the Lord was dealing with me about, but I could not get to the bottom of it myself. (I am becoming more and more aware of my need for "the body", the church. I am not an island unto myself. We need each others - in the OT even Moses could not win the battle without others holding up his arms). I then brought up my issue, and Donna reminded me we had already taken that to the Lord in prayer and He had forgiven me a long time ago. So we asked the Lord to show me what the root of the problem was, and He did.
He showed us it was a matter of me not being able to receive. He had forgiven me when I confessed it, but I had not received His forgiveness, and was beating myself up inside subconsciously. I felt like the kid who brought the paddle to his dad, and said "Here Dad, I was bad and I need you to paddle me" so he could feel better. I knew I was guilty and deserved punishment. BUT this is the truth of the Gospel - HE PAID THE PUNISHMENT FOR US. All I had to do was confess it and receive His forgiveness. ("If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." )
This had to do with our children, and the way I had hurt them at times as a mom, and although they had forgiven me, and God had, I had not forgiven myself. I needed to receive God's free gift of forgiveness even though I do not deserve it. Andrew did not say "No Grandmum, I cannot receive these free blessings because I do not deserve it." Like Joyce Meyer said just this morning, children do not have a problem receiving. (God always reinforces what He's doing in our lives, doesn't He?)

In Luke 18:17 Jesus says "Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child shall not in any way enter it."

"Unless we become like little children"... ( not childish but childlike!) I needed to receive!!!!!! I confessed, repented and received God's forgiveness last night and was set free. (More Kleenex was pulled out of the box).
Then Craig shared something that God had put on His heart. It was the story of the woman who was guilty of sin and by law should have been stoned to death, but she was forgiven and received it. All her accusers threw down their stones, as they too were not without sin. Then Jesus told her to go and sin no more. My children had no "stones" as they had already forgiven me, the only stone was in my hand....I was forgiven and I finally received this free and undeserving gift of forgiveness last night. I laid my stone down, making an alter of remembrance instead (like they did in the OT) to recall what God has done for me in this place. What a wonderful Father He is to us!

I am learning so much through our little grandchildren! All they want to be is "big", but guess what kids ... Jesus tells us we need to become like you!