PREPARATION

Lyn and I had an adventure last week; we traveled by train from Fort Worth to Dallas and took-in the King Tut exhibit. His story is amazing, but something piqued my interest as we viewed the artifacts of Egyptian life during Tutankhamun's short reign.

We were standing in line to view nicely displayed leftovers from a dead religion. These relics were beautiful, meaningful, and very valuable, but they were locked forever in the past.

My faith in Jesus, my religion, is not about relics or artifacts; it's about a living King, who was raised from his tomb, never to die again.

My King isn't known for his mask or his mummy or his tomb; HE is know for his resurrection!

My faith is lived in the present and focused on the future. King Jesus is alive and well; I've seen him.

Have you? Stay with me here.

As Luke Timothy Johnson author of The Real Jesus puts it... "The real Jesus for Christian faith is not simply a figure of the past, but very much and above all a figure of the present, a figure, indeed, who defines believers' present by his presence."

Have you seen the present-tense Jesus? Remember the old song? "...He's here in plain view. Take a look, open your eyes, I'll show HIM to you."

This is a test!

Too many ignore HIM. In a manner of speaking, they have taken up residence in the past; celebrating only the forms of their faith void of Spirit. Their religion is about masks and power and rituals that are more tied to death than life.

The test of genuine faith is seeing Jesus in us and among us (2 Corinthians 13:5). Perhaps that is why Jesus says, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." Mark 10:14b-15 NLT

What does this kind of faith look like, sound like?

I laid awake last night seeking an answer to that question. There are many potentials: It's innocent. It's vulnerable. It's uncomplicated, simple trust.

It could be the children's open dependence and their untainted view of life, or could it be their willingness to imagine and experience the impossible? All these things are potential answers I guess, but in the silence of the late night, God took me a different direction.

Children come to God without positioning, or planning, or posturing. They come "as is" with NO POWER of their own.

The children in Jesus' lap were powerless; they had not earned status, or acclaim. Their potential had yet to be discovered. And, they had yet to be warped by control issues, or power plays, or political agendas. They didn't count in the adult world, so what could they bring to the Kingdom?

Nothing!

That's it, NOTHING! It's not their Kingdom. They are just glad to be invited to the party.

No one comes to the Kingdom because we are wise, or strong, or good. We are not Kingdom-worthy because we are powerful, or right, or talented. The only thing that keeps the doors of the Kingdom open to each generation is the presence of Jesus. He is still alive!

Have you seen him today? There will be no doubt about the sighting. It will be an unexpected holy moment, a faith test, a blessing, even at your age.

INSPIRATION

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would I get into Heaven?" I asked the kindergartners.

"No!" the children answered in unison.

"OK, if I prayed everyday, went to church every Sunday, was even kind to the bullies, and kept my room neat and clean, would I get into Heaven?"

Again, the answer was,"No!"

"Well," I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"

One outspoken little boy yelled out, "You gotta be dead."

Don't look for the complicated when you talk with children, but be ready for truth.

MOTIVATION

Ask someone close to you to pray for you this week. Tell them you are testing your faith. Invite them to ask God two things for you: (1)To put Jesus sightings in your path this week and (2)to do whatever is necessary for you to seize that moment.

Now trust God to show up. It's a simple "childlike" trait.

Look for Jesus in your opportunities to forgive, to accept, to listen, to serve, and to coach. He lives in you. Keep your eyes open for other followers of Jesus who are testing their faith.

What will it take to see Jesus this week? Nothing! Just open your eyes and let it happen.