Friday's Devotion: Child of Wonder

 Matthew 11:25  At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.

Matthew 18:2-4  Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Summers in my early childhood years were magical thanks to my paternal grandparents. My Granddaddy Ba (short for Barney) was the head of maintenance at a classic Catskill Mountain resort in NY State. Every summer we made the drive up there from Columbus, GA to visit them.  My parents would stay awhile then leave me with Nana and Granddaddy for the summer. I spent much time at White Roe Lake – think the resort in the movie Dirty Dancing. I remember Latin bands playing in a cabana by the lake. The men wore shirts with big ruffled sleeves and I had rumba panties with matching ruffles. At the age of 3 I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to show them to everyone! The chef fed me blueberries and cream and petit fours. My favorite time was at the balls. There were banks of colored spotlights around the ballroom and a great crystal hung in the middle. Granddaddy would let me pull the big levers to change the lights from red and blue to green and yellow. Then at just the right moment I would flip the switch to turn on the revolving crystal that spangled the room with spots of light.

Life was simple.  I got pleasure from the wonders of changing lights and the faces on my Nana’s pansies. I would race getting ready for bed with the elderly Mr. Green across the street. We’d see each other’s silhouettes on the drawn window shades.  I respected my elders. I said the little prayers I was taught and accepted the existence of a God with childlike faith.  I was unencumbered with cares for my wellbeing or desires for material things, although I did enjoy walks with Nana Blanche to the Dolly Madison Ice Cream Shop for rainbow sherbet. The simplicity of this existence is what I believe Jesus was referring to in Matthew. What can we do now to become unencumbered and to make ourselves more receptive to God? What is enough in life?

Holy God, we would like to regain some of our childlike innocence and wonder. Although we are bound with responsibilities help us to simplify our lives so that we have more time to enjoy creation and to sense your loving presence.  We ask in Jesus name. Amen.