Fairytales, Faith, and the Wonder of a Child

by | Mar 13, 2015 | Mom Devotionals | 1 comment

IMG_0233One of my favorite quotes by author C.S. Lewis is “some day you will be old enough to read fairytales again” because I think it encompasses a gallon of truth in its simplicity.
When we’re young, there is a genuineness to us. Our focus is intense and raw. Our faith pure and powerful. Our dreams bigger than the sky. We have no problem feeding the imagination with dragons, knights, magic, and princesses, because, even if we know those things aren’t real, a piece of us knows something greater lives beyond our current time and world.
We don’t have to see the ‘science’ or learn the arguments. A deeper ‘something’ within us knows and grasps it with both hands. Stories of courage, self-sacrifice, harrowing battles, impossible odds, and unbelievable wonder… children crave, accept, and find joy within the heart of these stories. Why?
Because it takes the wonder and faith of a child to see and believe in the impossible.
As we grow, life and circumstances can tend to blur our vision. Our wounds may harden our hearts and daily demands narrow our imaginations. Our minds become busy with the every-dayness, which is a part of growing up – but in many cases we lose sight of the wonder that is still evident around us and it takes a moment with a child to remind us….
The beauty of believing is still alive and well.
And it gives them hope…and the ability to dream big.
IMG_2943Jesus is recorded in 3 of the 4 Gospels to have encouraged the little children to come to him – even rebuking the disciples from hindering the children to approach. He says “for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Why? Oh there are many reasons, and some a theologian might answer much better than me, but I believe one of the reasons is imagination.
God created imagination. In fact, he displayed his remarkable imagination in the act of creation and then made us in his image. If we are ‘like’ God through creation, then we have imaginations too – limited, of course, by the Fall and our humanity, but shadows of the Creators imagination nonetheless.
Imagination gives us the ability to not only create, but ‘see’ impossible things without fear of limits. Children believe. In their smallness, they haven’t grown too big to see themselves as having all the answers or becoming their own gods.
They accept the ‘impossible’ because it makes sense that Someone much larger than them, much grander, can do amazing things. Miracles.
There are moments in my life when I ‘glimpse’ for a few seconds into another world. A sense of the awesomeness of a greater plan or see the ‘impossible’ strength that comes dancefrom something beyond our comprehension. Even miracles.
It’s in those glimpses, God reminds me what it’s like to dance in wonder of who He is, His amazing love, and the beauty of just believing. Unhindered.
I’ll end my child-like post today with another of my FAVORITE CS Lewis quote:
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

1 Comment

  1. James G.

    Spot on, as the British say.

    Reply

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