This post originally appeared in a previous blog, Sowing Seeds of Grace. For a variety of reasons, I found it hard to come up with a new post this week. So, I dug into my old blog posts and found something I enjoyed reading again. The original post was published May 7, 2014. Minor changes were made to the title and text.

It began just a few weeks ago. Intermittently they appear together because of his schedule. All are watching with amusement and charmed hearts.

He is many years her senior, but they don’t seem to notice. Just the rest of us.

This past Sunday was one of the best to date. As he moved throughout the building, there she was. Right on his heels in her red sweater and beautiful spring dress painted with red poppies and light green leaves on a white background. She even wore matching shoes—red patent leather.

You could almost hear the chuckles being held behind hands as those of us waiting for the service to begin observed this unlikely love affair.

Fairly soon, her mother appeared on the scene as she was assisting our youth pastor in leading worship. He is the object of her four-year old daughter’s affections of late. Yes, there were tears and frustration on the part of the little girl. Yet no evidence of frustration or impatience ever showed on our youth pastor’s face or in his demeanor. This love affair appears ordained by God.

And that got me to thinking: Isn’t this what my love affair with God should look like?

father, daughter, love, unconditional love,
Via Google Images

A two-sided coin that holds His unconditional love on one side and my child-like acceptance of trust and faith in Him to love and care for me as He has promised.

And do I always do that?

Often I don’t hold up my part of the relationship or bargain.

God gave up so much for me. I should do better.

But I’m no longer a child like my little friend.

I’m an adult and to respond in kind to God as a child would likely be frowned upon by fellow church members. Might they think I’d lost my mind?

Whom should I please? My fellow church members, my neighbors, my friends?

My little friend has reminded me it is my God whom I should please with fierce abandon and commitment.

We are told in Matthew 18:3 (NIV):

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Featured Image Attribution: stanbalik from Pixabay