I thought I would begin this by sorting it all into tidy little categories, as I'm prone to do. After days of research I'm laying it at His feet and praying the Lord speaks through me. I've been told I have a gift with words from those closest to me - and I owe it all to Him.
So...how do you become a child as an adult? This is honestly one of my favorite questions ever. Have you ever seen a person light up from the inside? Bubbling over with joy or excitement or curiosity? Hello inner child. Wouldn't it be amazing to be like that all the time instead of carrying this weight that seems to come with adulthood? The beautiful thing is that we can AND should.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."" [Mark 10:15 NLT]
What does that MEAN? Children are honest, they're unconcerned with trivial things, they easily forgive, they love without conditions, they soak in all that they can. Have you ever noticed how kids have the uncanny ability to cut through all the things and speak to the truth of the matter? Even when it's embarassing to their parents. Unashamed, honest, eager. To me - this is what it means to be a child of God.
"The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me." [Psa 116:6 NLT]
I was young when my Daddy got sick. I don't remember a whole lot of the "before" times. I remember sitting on his knee the first time I ever called him dad. I remember his reaction and the tears in his eyes and the undying love in my heart. I never stayed mad at him for long, even when he disciplined me. When I did wrong he showed me right. Even when his son abused me, he turned his own son away to protect his adopted children. I sacrificed every afternoon I could to get as much one on one time with him as possible. Emptying jugs, refilling coffee, checking oxygen. It was all par for the course to make sure I had him and he had me. He was in my heart as deeply as I was in his. He was my daddy and I was his little girl.
"But the poor man had only one little she-lamb, which he had got and taken care of: from its birth it had been with him like one of his children; his meat was its food, and from his cup it took its drink, resting in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him." [2 Sam 12:3 BBE]
All those days after school watching jeopardy and wheel of fortune reruns. Yelling out silly answers and singing silly songs. I remember his stories and wisdom and humor. I remember his smile. The joy on his face when he raced power chairs with the neighbor. The sound of his saxophone rising through the air. When he caught me up playing (the only time I could in peace) he wouldn't get angry; he got down on the floor and played with me. We had a polly pocket kingdom to run. It didn't matter the sleep lost - it was the time we gained together that mattered more. Soaking up every word he had to say, every smile, everything...because I knew the day would come when he wasn't here anymore.
"honour thy father and mother," [Eph 6:2 YLT]
Imagine that kind of love. Before the world got ahold of us, or our parents imperfections, or trauma, or friends, or heartbreak, or loss. Imagine the purity of simply loving without anything from the past or present holding us back from that love. That's exactly how we're called to love the Father. When I was hurt - I ran to him. When I was sad - I ran to him. When I was confused, angry, bullied, excited, ANYTHING - I ran to my daddy. I trusted him with everything. I believed in him, that he would guide me. I believed he loved me. I sought his attention. I craved his affection. Even in his last days, I was who he thought of, and me him.
"God’s name is a place of protection— good people can run there and be safe." [Pr 18:10 MSG]
The doctors had given him six months and he had survived six years. We were on borrowed time and everybody knew it. Each day a blessing mixed with a little anxiety. The unspoken as his eyes got deeper and his lungs gave out more and he couldn't hardly eat. I remember wishing it would all go away...and then he was gone. He literally left our home so I wouldn't be the one to find him dead - and I would have been the one. Even now the tears threaten to spill down my cheeks as that aches comes to life. The one that never quite leaves us after losing someone like a parent. Knowing their last decision was to protect their children makes it even more. Have you ever watched someone you love die? I have. God has. It was His own son - for us.
"For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16 CSB]
When a child loses their parent, they're called an orphan. Yet there is no word to encompass what it means to lose a child. God gave us His son, so that we might become His children by the ultimate atonement. Jesus sacrificed His life to bring us back into family. WE were the ones that turned away, and we still do to this day. Would you sacrifice your life for your father or mother? Your brother or sister? Willingly and knowingly? Even after having kids? Even after finding love? Even after making a life of your own? I would love to say yes, but I honestly don't know the answer. A split second decision, sure, but a planned swap for things they were guilty of? I don't know. It doesn't seem fair. He gave Himself up as the perfect sacrifice, for our sins, and we are now the adopted children of God.
"For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in." [Ps 27:10 ESV]
Imagine that kind of love. Not only for us, but also for His Father in Heaven. The commtiment, the all encompassing forgiveness, the LOVE. He walked this earth loving people, healing people, teaching people, forgiving people. Just as Jesus loved us, we're called to love each other. Just as Jesus loved the Almighty, we're called to as well. Purely. With awe, and wonder, and joy, and curiosity, and honesty. To love the Father as our Abba, the holiest of fathers. Because He is.
"Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me."" [Mark 9:36-37 NLT]
He is the Creator, the Gardener, the Protector, the Law, the Avenger. He was before the fall, and through to the promised land, and even now. He had a plan from the start - in His son Jesus. Our perfect redeemer, and the one we now get to call brother.
"For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." [Rom 8:29 CSB]
"Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." [Heb 2:14 NLT]
My siblings were not always kind, and especially not selfless. If there was trouble the finger was more often pointed at me than away. Broken items or lost things or stains that appeared. There was no denying what they had done. Still, I was the attempted scapegoat. Jesus shows us another way. An experience many receive between siblings. He took the punishment on Himself to spare us the repurcussions of trouble. God is so mighty that those who oppose Him end up trembling in fear. Jesus said, "Father look at me. Don't look at that stain there, just keep Your eyes on Me. They didn't know, they couldn't help it. Just look at me Dad, I've got it covered." THEN, He sent us a comforter/counselor for He had to return to the Father.
"but in all these we more than conquer, through Him who loved us; for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things about to be, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, that [is] in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Rom 8:37-39 YLT]
So, what does it mean to be a child of God?
It means to love as purely as possible.
"Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith." [1 Tim 1:5 CSB]
"My brothers, take care that there is not by chance in any one of you an evil heart without belief, turning away from the living God:" [Heb 3:12 BBE]
"God loves the pure-hearted and well-spoken; good leaders also delight in their friendship" [Pr 22:11 MSG]
To believe in Him.
"for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.'" [Rom 8:15 YLT]
"Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?" [Rom 2:4 NLT]
"And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree." [Rom 11:23 NLT]
To trust Him.
"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." [Gal 3:26 NLT]
"..Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast. " [Heb 3:6 CSB]
"For if we keep the substance of the faith which we had at the start, even till the end, we have a part with Christ;" [Heb 3:14 BBE]
To receive His love.
"This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. " [Rom 5:5 CSB]
"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever." [Ps 52:8 NIV]
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah to eternal life." [Jude 1:21 HNV]
To seek Him with your whole heart.
 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! [1 Ch 16:11 ESV]
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." [Deut 4:29 ESV]
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." [Luke 12:31 NLT]
To follow His leadership.
"A wise son is a lover of teaching, but the ears of the haters of authority are shut to sharp words." [Pro 13:1 BBE]
"Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you." [Deut 8:5 ESV]
"The LORD your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul." [Deut 30:10 NLT]
To heed His word.
"You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them." [Deut 28:14 NLT]
"And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God," [Titus 2:12 NLT]
"Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly," [1 Pet 1:22 CSB]
I believe we're the luckiest kids alive. And just like children, we grow to mature. As we dive deeper into the Father, we fill up more with His love. We learn, we change, we become better. There's nothing like the unconditional love of a father to bring out our best nature. Showing us how to do right, taking joy in our joy, guiding us along the way. How divine.
"When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love." [1 Co 13:11–13 MSG
"If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on." [1 Co 11:31 MSG]
There's a day coming when our Savior is coming back for us. We'll get to be with Him and our Father, God. I'm looking forward to that day with a childlike glee, and in the meantime -- I'll become the best child of God I can be. I'll follow his commandments as best I can, listen to His Holy Spirit within me, and love Him with all my heart. After all, I always was a daddy's girl.