Cricket loves Jesus.
She loves what she understands of Jesus, which doesn’t seem like much at the tender age of 3.
But it’s growing everyday as she explores the beauty of nature, learns about the stunning intricacy of the human body {her favorite bone is her patella}, and gets a front row seat in watching God faithfully work out details of tough situations in our lives {like this house…my hubby’s job last year…Bug’s health}.
I’m often reminded, when I look at her and see her sweet, raw, simple faith, of the verse in Mark 10 that says “unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in”.
I totally want to love Jesus with the uncomplicated, transparent curiosity of this child.
She prays deliciously relevant little prayers, thanking God for everything from her cousin and her ‘big girl bed’ to her daddy’s safety and the fact that baby Bug bit her.
This kid is made of awesome.
She loves to sing.
She especially loves to sing songs about Jesus {sometimes followed up by her ‘A,B,C’s, ‘Truly Scrumptious’, or an awkwardly-placed line from Madagascar, like: “you bit my butt!”}
But these photos…
they weren’t taken during a spontaneous little church service on our deck today.
Nope.
She was, in fact, catching bubbles…and just happened to close her eyes because the bubbles were popping soap in her face.
Didn’t expect that, did you?
But you know what…this is true spirituality.
Why?
Because it’s real life.
Simple. Raw. Unpretentious. Love. In Motion.
The bible says in Genesis 1:26-27 that we were created in God’s image, in His likeness.
That means that you and I are spiritual beings.
Rick Warren put it this way: ‘”In all of creation, only human beings are made in God’s image. This is a great privilege and it gives us dignity. We don’t know all this phrase covers, but we do know some of the aspects it includes: like God, we are spiritual beings – our spirits are immortal and will outlast our earthly bodies; we are intellectual – we can think, reason, and solve problems; we are relational – we can give and receive real love; and we have a moral consciousness – we can discern right from wrong, which makes us accountable to God.”
“God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. . . . We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him” {Romans 8:29, The Message}.
So, if you were to ask me – fully aware of just what was happening on top of my closed hot-tub lid, soapy smears and all – whether this was a holy moment…
My answer would be “yes”.
Wholly yes.