13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

 

​Children will ask their parents for anything and everything. Once they have something in mind they will ask repeatedly, constantly, mantra-like. Children will speak their minds and they believe their parents can do and can provide anything. When a child talks with their parents they believe anything is possible and no topic is out-of-bounds, or off limits. They will ask the most embarrassing things right in front of family, friends, and complete strangers; then they actually expect you to answer them, right there. They do not have complex ulterior motives for their questions or requests, they are just saying what in on their hearts or at the very top of their minds.

 

​When we take what Jesus says, “receive the kingdom of God like a child” and apply it to the way that we talk with God in prayer we begin to understand that He wants to hear it all. Like a child, do we ask our Heavenly Father anything and everything? We need to ask Him about all the things we have no answer for. It is okay to ask over and over again until we receive a reply. We can ask in a way that shows we believe anything is possible when it comes God. We need not be afraid or embarrassed to ask about, or for, things that seem outrageous or ridiculous. This is what our adult prayer life might look like if we prayed more like children.

 

Matthew 7:7-11 (ESV):

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

 

​This is a section from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus first tells us that we should ask boldly. The part that applies to our study is the reasoning that Jesus gives. He uses the example of a child asking something of his parents. He reasons that when a child asks for something the parents do not give the opposite. A parent will do whatever they can to fulfill the needs of their children. Thus, if we earthly parents, with all our shortcomings and brokenness, still try to provide good gifts to our children, how much more will our Heavenly Father provide for His children?

 

Luke 7:7-10 (ESV):

7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

 

​When we were children we thought our parents could do anything and we thought they had all the answers. As we grew older we learned the reality that they indeed had limits. Jesus asks us not to put these same cynical limits on our Heavenly Father. He exhorts us to be like children in our belief that all things are possible with God. In Luke’s passage Jesus encounters an adult that indeed has childlike belief in what is possible with God. Jesus, himself marvels at this man and applauds him. It is almost anticlimactic when we find out that the servant is healed. The highlight of the story is the man’s unwavering, steadfast, belief that Jesus is truly capable of anything. However, we should be careful not to miss the delight it brings Jesus. What joy it brings to a father’s heart when their child believes that he can, and will, do anything for them.

 

Psalm 13 (NET):

For the music director; a psalm of David.

1 How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me?

How long will you pay no attention to me?

2 How long must I worry,

and suffer in broad daylight?

How long will my enemy gloat over me?

3 Look at me! Answer me, O Lord my God!

Revive me, or else I will die!

4 Then my enemy will say, “I have defeated him!”

Then my foes will rejoice because I am upended.

5 But I trust in your faithfulness.

May I rejoice because of your deliverance!

6 I will sing praises to the Lord

when he vindicates me.

 

When you pray like a child, come as a trusting child who sees a faithful and dependable Father. Then pray real prayers from your heart. Wait for his answers, but always end in trust. As you wait and trust, if you are still feeling lost, stuck, broken, in need, then come again and pray real prayers. Then wait for his answer, but always trust.

 

Study and Reflection Questions:

1. What kind of kid were you when it came to asking for things? Did you ask freely for things in stores? How did your parents respond? And did you learn to stop asking? If you have kids, what kind of parent are you when it comes to responding to your children's requests?

2. Share a moment that you came to God with a big, or even small and seemingly silly prayer request, that He answered. What did that feel like and how did that change you?

3. In a moment of honesty and vulnerability with yourself and people you may be meeting with, raise your hand if you have ever felt like God did not hear or answer a prayer you lifted up. If you are willing to, share what it was that you were praying for and how it resolved (or even how you are still waiting).

4. Have those moments of feeling forgotten changed the way you prayed after? Do you not ask for those things anymore? Do you pray harder? Have you grown doubtful of your prayers? Did you learn how to trust God more?

5. Read Psalm 13. Discuss how freely and openly David speaks to God, but what do you notice about his faith?

6. What prayer requests do you have now? There is nothing too big for God to handle, and there is no request too small for Him to hear. This goes with our fellowship too. Please share a prayer request, maybe even a few, and spend time bringing these requests before God together as a group.

7. Read Psalm 23 as a closing prayer. Come before Him in prayer and trust in Him