Dance, Stand, Run by Jess Connolly

Author:Jess Connolly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2017-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me. But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do.” (Matthew 18:2–7)

He says it so clearly—it’s better for us to receive and return to childlike, simple faith. I don’t think that means that we neglect growing, learning, and maturing spiritually—but I think it means we fully ingest the truth that we’ll always have to come back to these elemental tenets of walking with Jesus. I think that for as long as we’re alive, we’ll need reminders to be in communion with God. What’s more, I think that the fruit we’ll produce while simply abiding in Him will always be deep, never shallow.

I find concepts of theology in Scripture—building blocks we can shape our beliefs around—and I see where we get wisdom about weighty concepts like God’s sovereignty, predestination, sanctification, and more. But I do not ever, ever hear Jesus telling His followers to grow up and move on from the simple obedience and abundance that comes from walking closely with Him, day in and day out. The truth is, I don’t think spending time with God is all that simplistic or basic to begin with. I think that when the women of God walk boldly to the throne with confidence, hoping to receive mercy and grace and truth and Jesus—well, that is some graduate-level Christianity right there. That’s the real deal. It shifts you when you spend time with God; it shifts the way you live and love others.

Last, for my friends who have lost faith in the accessibility of God or the benefit of seeking His face, I would just encourage you with a simple idea that might shift things for you. Prepare your hearts and have a pen ready.

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