A Little Child Shall Lead Them
The sermon emphasizes the importance of childlike faith and wonder in understanding God's purpose in creation and our lives.
Allan Halton preaches about the childlike faith and wonder we should have in God, using a touching story of his grandson finding a painted rock as a reminder of God's presence and love. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a believing heart and sense of wonder as we grow, highlighting God's wonderful nature and the purpose He has for each individual. Halton encourages his listeners to approach God with childlike faith and awe, trusting in His unfathomable wonders and eternal plan.
Text
The other day my youngest grandson and his mother dropped in for a visit. The two of them walked over after kindergarten, and as soon as they arrived, my grandson showed me something he had found along the way.
It was a flat rock about the size of an Oreo cookie, and he gave it to me to hold in my hand. I looked at it, and turned it over. It was somewhat heart shaped. Someone had painted a face on it with red and blue colours - eyes, a nose, a smiling mouth. I smiled, too, and opened my mouth to offer my explanation of where this rock had come from -- he had found it on the pavement near the kindergarten - when my little grandson intercepted my words before they had a chance to get out.
"God dropped it down for me, Grandpa. It's a present for me from God."
I was convicted in a moment. So much for the obvious explanation my own mind had formed and was ready to set forth for his enlightenment. We adult types are good at getting things all figured out.
My grandson looked at me and nodded as I handed his rock back to him. "I believe in Him, Grandpa."
I nodded, too, and sang my grandson a little song I've loved for years.
Praise the Name of Jesus, Praise the name of Jesus...
He's my Rock, He's my fortress,
He's my deliverer, in whom I will trust...
Praise the Name of Jesus...
...I believe in Him, too, Cole. God sent down a Rock for me, too. And I pray that till my dying day and beyond, He will preserve in me that same childlike sense of wonder. Let me enter the kingdom of God as the little child.
And I pray that you, too, Cole, as you grow, will never lose a child's believing heart, and sense of wonder.
For, this God that you believe in, and I believe in, is a God of wonder. His very name is Wonder-ful (Isaiah 9.6). And so this whole universe He created - the things unseen and seen, things visible and things invisible - is a universe full of wonder. He "doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number" (Job 9.10).
And of all those wonders, the purpose of God in it all: the wonder of wonders: His purpose in man, that eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord... oh, the wonder of it all!
Sermon Outline
- The Power of Childlike Faith
- The Wonder of God's Creation
- Embracing Childlike Faith
- Preserving a Childlike Sense of Wonder
- Believing in God's Wonder-ful Nature
- The Wonder of God's Purpose in Man
Key Quotes
“God dropped it down for me, Grandpa. It's a present for me from God.” — Allan Halton
“I believe in Him, Grandpa.” — Allan Halton
“He 'doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number' (Job 9.10).” — Allan Halton
Application Points
- We can preserve a childlike sense of wonder by continuing to believe in God's wonder-ful nature.
- We should seek to understand God's purpose in creation and our lives.
- We can apply the concept of childlike faith by trusting in God's goodness and wonder.