A devotional on childlike faith, holy imagination and the adventure of worship

“You see things, and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were, and I say, ‘Why not?’” – George Bernard Shaw

Key Scripture: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3 (NASB)

The Pond

In a child’s world, pond life matters; for me, it was no different, as I grew up enjoying nature’s freedom and wandering.  Every pond, river, stream, or brook became a place of play and adventure, even bogland- that is, marshy or swampy areas. I have arrived home having lost many a Wellington boot in the sinking mud.  The school was very near home; on occasion, parents were dispatched to look for us when we got distracted at the water’s edge.  They knew where we would be. The park water course had lured us again.   We launched armadas and races; Oxford V Cambridge boat races had nothing on ours.  Wood sticks with paper sails that went worldwide.  Bridges became deep-dive caverns to explore while attempting to keep dry.

I should have been home in fifteen minutes. It regularly took much more than that. I would kneel at the water’s edge and press my face close to the surface, shading it so that the glare disappeared and a whole underwater kingdom opened up before me: sticklebacks flashing silver, red-throats, water-boatmen rowing across the surface, tadpoles wriggling, newts drifting like small dragons through the weed.   WE learned the skill of tickling trout as they went all limp for us to catch with our hands under a stone where they were dwelling.

I would gaze, entranced, while the afternoon slipped away. Why were they all so different? How could so many kinds of creatures live together so peacefully? Did they ever fight? How many meals did they eat in a day? I never once saw a water-boatman drink. And how could they dive and stay under so long without breathing?

They were a child’s questions, and they may seem silly to a knowledgeable adult. To me they were mysterious and wonderful. A world had opened, and I wanted to understand what it was like to live there.

On Saturdays we would visit the reservoir on top of the mountain of our valley; now that was deep water.  We dammed watercourses as high as we could, some reaching 2 to 3 meters, then broke them once full to see the torrent flood some of the water-starved stream bed; that was so much fun, but to be honest, very dangerous.

Sometimes would try and build a mini pond of my own, stocked with creatures carried home in a tin. Frogs, tadpoles, newts and anything else we could. Everything went well until one of its occupants would escape or I got board.

Stories long gone should make us smile when we recall them, the adventures of getting dirty. But I have come to see that the pond taught me something.

A World of Adventure

Who has not smiled at a little girl wheeling her pram, chatting to her doll as if it were alive? Who has not laughed at a boy tumbling down the street, battling an invasion of evil aliens, then suddenly stopping with arms thrown wide like a conqueror surveying the field?

The child does not live in the world as it merely appears. The child lives in the world as it could be. Nothing is ordinary. Every puddle is an ocean and every garden a jungle.  Every day is waking to a new adventure of discovery.

Children’s role as teachers is evident in the narrative of biblical thought. Jesus shows us that, once called a little child to stand among his disciples, it was learning time for the 12 who had been arguing about who was greatest, and said: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3 NASB). Children and their ways were ever present for Jesus, as he said, “Suffer little children to come to me”, as the religious 12, I would suggest, attempted to police access to Jesus.  Elsewhere he added, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15).

What was he teaching? Perhaps he meant a child’s simplicity and trust. Perhaps he was also pointing to something more: that the kingdom is received by the eye that can see what is not yet visible.   I suggest these two elements, simplicity and the ability to live in a world not yet seen, are both required of us.   The child is so at home with imaginary friends and a created world, investing in ordinary toys an unseen world.

Notice the order of his words. He did not say, “Unless you become like a child and then be converted.” He said, “Unless you are converted and become like children.” The childlike attitude follows the turning. It grows after we come to Christ. When the Spirit makes us new, he restores what the years had worn away: wonder, trust, and a willingness to explore.    Restoring adventure, given or encouraging seeing the world not yet here.   As I consider the world of the prophets and ponder their descriptions of a transformed world, I long to see it.    The world restored in Isa 11, Isa 58 when streets are restored, Isa 65, 61, Zach 5:8, Amos 9:11-15; Psalm 33:5, 119:64, and so many other scriptures.  I am told in Acts 3:18 that a period or time known as restoration will be restored, as the “prophets said it would be”.  Can you see these in your mind’s eye as we move toward the culmination of all things?

Is Jesus inviting us to rediscover imagination and adventure? To have a faith that sees the invisible and acts as though the invisible were visible? The writer of Hebrews describes faith this way: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

The Dreamer’s Eye

When I began my Christ-like journey, I wasn’t a dreamer; then I met people, dreamers themselves, who taught me to dream. I do not mean false dreams or cheese-induced dreams. These dreams have become what I call wide-eye dreams: seeing what things could be, not only what they are. I mean seeing potential far greater than what is currently visible.  Realising that humanity was created not mature, but rich in potential, like creation in Gen 1 and 2, full of potential.  That was there for humanity, and all creation was to fill out this potential.

History is full of men and women who learnt to dream with their eyes open.  They visualised beyond the present and reached into the future with a faith that turned the dream into reality.

Isn’t the narrative of Scripture full of these types of dreams, those with childlike imagination and faith, their eyes opened, and they pursued what they saw?

• Moses, from Sinai, was to build a tabernacle in the wilderness “according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” (Hebrews 8:5; Exodus 25:40). He carried the vision down with him.
• Joseph in prison remembering one day his brothers would bow before him (Genesis 37:5–9). That dream guarded him from bitterness and revenge. Years later, standing before those same brothers, he could say, “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8). That is the dreamer.
• The prophets gave voice to what they saw: a return from captivity for God’s scattered people (Jeremiah 29:10–14), and a latter house whose glory would exceed the former (Haggai 2:9).
• Jesus entrusted the mission of blessing the whole earth to a small band of fishermen and ordinary people. (Matthew 9:37–38; Acts 1:8).
• Paul saw the purpose for which Christ had taken hold of him and pressed on with all his might: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:12–14).

WE are all to be dreamers; if you love God, see the dream and make it real!.

Faith That Sees Before It Moves

Consider the woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on physicians, and instead of improving, she grew worse. Then she heard about Jesus. “She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed’” (Mark 5:27–28).

Before she ever stepped out of her house, she was already seeing herself whole. She saw herself healthy, strong, able to live again, free to walk into a room without shame. Her faith had travelled to wholeness long before her feet carried her into the crowd. Jesus turned and said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace” (Mark 5:34).

Think, too, of Abraham. With what excitement he set out for the land God would show him (Genesis 12:1–4)! Even while he packed his tent for the nomad’s life, his eye of faith was looking down the generations to “the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8–10). It was the seeing of that city that enabled him to endure the tent.

When the Adventure Dies

I am convinced many people become sad in life because, somewhere among life’s experiences, they lose the exploring mind of a child.   We say and enjoy when a preacher holds imagination that it was wonderful, so can we cultivate it always in us?  We should hold and develop imagination, wonder, and the wow of our salvation, rather than letting bruises, rejections, rebuffs, and disappointments become primary. Capture a childlike view; remember, not childish but childlike.

Jesus knew this danger. He warned that “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word” (Mark 4:19). A heart crowded with anxiety has no room left for wonder.

Praise and worship might reach another level if we retained a sense of adventure. I have heard it said that worship ends when mystery and wonder die in the heart. Where they are kept alive, however, the quickened mind and released affections are drawn upward toward the mysterious beauty with which God has clothed himself. “One thing I ask from the Lord,” says David, “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4). David gazes; you hear it in the words he penned in Psalms, into whatever was before him he was utterly given

Footprints in the Snow

I look out on a winter morning when snow has fallen and covered everything so wonderfully; it changes how everything looks.  So undisturbed, so clean, covering paths and roads, sitting on branches, sometimes even bending trees, painting everything white, it transformed the scenery into one colour palette overall.

Then the urge takes you to be the only footprint in the yard, to make a mark where no one has been.    Something inside you wants to open up a trail, then you follow the footprints back to where you came from to keep it clear.   The snow seems to have made all the old new, but giving it a new cover.   What about our old pathways? Perhaps God wants a new adventure with you in your devotion, in your experience of God

To Do – Reflect

1. Lose track of time simply gazing at God’s creation or at his goodness? What did you see?
2. Is there a dream God placed in your heart
3. What would it look like to let a child’s curiosity back into your life experience?
4. What is one new path you will explore this week?

Prayer

Father, in a world crowded with noise, quiet our hearts. Lift our eyes from our own small ambitions to the greatness of Your eternal purpose. Open the Scriptures to us, and shape us by what we find. Amen.

A Life Bigger Than Ourselves

We live among distractions, competing priorities, and self-focused ambitions. It is easy to let life orbit around personal success, as though we were the centre of the story. But human life was never meant to revolve around us.

At the heart of Scripture is a far greater vision: God has an ultimate purpose for humanity, creation, and history itself, and you are invited to align your life with it. This alignment matures us. It draws us out of self-centredness and immature understanding, and into what Romans 8 calls the sons of God. (This speaks of our position in Christ, not our gender. It is for men and women alike.)

Many believers live busy, distracted, or shallow lives and miss the deeper significance of God’s plan. Today, recover a bigger view of the Christian life: one shaped by Scripture, grounded in Christ, and oriented toward eternity.

Christ at the Centre

God’s purpose is not random or fragmented. Read in its proper context, Scripture shows that God has one grand intention for all things. God glorifies Himself through creation, redeems humanity through Jesus Christ, and restores creation to its intended glory.

“…who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11)

“All things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)

Christ is not merely a part of the plan. He is its centre. Everything exists through Him, for Him, and in relation to Him. Hebrews 1 and Romans 8 set before us Christ’s greatness and the believer’s calling.

Romans 8:29 gives us the destination: believers are predestined “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”This is no minor detail of the Christian life. God’s purpose, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is not only to forgive us but to form us into the likeness of Christ, recovering the image and likeness in its fullness. Humanity and creation together are awakening to God’s gift: the potential to grow up and become sons of God.

Reflect: Do I see Christ as the centre of my story, or as a helper in it?

Not Spectators, but Participants

Settle it today: we are not passive spectators in God’s story. We are called to take part in it.

To grasp God as Trinity is to wrestle with God’s participation with humanity. Our spirituality was never meant to be vague or inward-looking. It is the Kingdom of God: expansive, outward-moving, reflecting God’s nature, intentional, and fruitful.

This means:

• Recognising our divine calling and living by the biblical pattern
• Surrendering personal ambitions when they conflict with God’s glory
• Serving others selflessly
• Sharing the Gospel actively
• Cultivating the spiritual disciplines that deepen our walk with Him

“This is eternal life: that they know you.” We grow up into Christ, maturing in this relationship of knowing.

And Matthew 28:19-20 reminds us that the commission is not only private devotion. It is participation in God’s work and mission in the world.

What Is Your Life Like?

We mature when we set aside distractions and learn the difference between a distracted life and an intentional one. We step away from a superficial faith, one that is all about me getting, where life becomes transactional: I do my part, God does His.

That is using God like a spare tyre, kept in the boot for emergencies. Or like a slot machine, where we put in our coins and wait for three cherries in a row.

Instead, we step into purposeful living: a life of conscious decisions that reflect God, prioritise eternal realities over temporary pleasures, grow in His nature and character, and order each day around spiritual growth. We are to be, as Jesus was, the exact representation and reflection of God in our world (Hebrews 1).

Where do I begin? With honest self-examination:

• Are my pursuits aligned with God’s purpose?
• Where have I become complacent?
• What distractions have pulled my attention from what matters most?

Sit with these questions before God, and answer with deep honesty. Our maturity is not haphazard. It grows through good habits and a heart willing to be formed by God.

One Big Story

My prayer is that you grow stronger as you ground yourself in the larger narrative God has given us. From beginning to end, the Bible tells one story from many vantage points, like a diamond cut from a single stone at different angles. Each facet enhances its value, yet it remains one stone. The Bible is neither merely a history book nor a science textbook, though it contains history and science. It is the one story of God restoring all in all.

• Creation reveals God’s original intent.
• The Fall came when humanity doubted the image and likeness God had already declared over them, and believed the scaly, glistening Nachash who offered what they already had. Identity was lost.
• The Promise appears in Genesis 3: Christ will fulfil God’s return to His aim.
• The Church now lives as part of that ongoing work, bearing witness to the Kingdom.
• The Renewal is pictured in Revelation 21:1-4: the city, the bride of Christ, the temple, where God dwells with His people.

Your story is not random. It is caught up in God’s restorative plan. History is moving somewhere, and its destination is not chaos but restoration.

Living the Intention

1. Self-examination and reflection. Look honestly at whether your daily life reflects God.
2. Deepen your relationship with God. Grow in knowing Him, through prayer, Scripture, and surrender.
3. Find discipleship and mentoring. Receive guidance from mature believers, and offer it to others. Growth happens best in community.
4. Live sacrificially. Reflect Christ, whose love is marked by generosity, service, and forgiveness.

The Fruit of a Purposeful Life

When you live according to God’s great aim, the results are profound: greater peace, deeper fulfilment, and true spiritual maturity. You meet trials with resilience because life is no longer measured by comfort or success alone.

Overcoming the Obstacles

• Distraction and busyness can crowd out God’s view and aims. Guard your attention, and make room for stillness with Him.
• Complacency and spiritual dormancy can settle in when we lose sight of God’s purpose. Seek accountability and invite trusted believers to walk with you honestly.

Conclusion

Will you choose to live with clarity, depth, and purpose? Hold fast to this truth: God’s plan is bigger than individual achievement, and Christ is meant to shape the Christian life from beginning to end.

My reminder to you is simple: embrace God’s intention, and God’s purpose will change you.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the centre of all things. Draw me out of self-centredness into the fullness of Your image. Make me intentional, fruitful, and faithful. Let my life reflect You in this world, until the day all things are made new. Amen.

There was a time when life seemed straightforward. You worked hard, found a steady job, and, for many, stayed in that role for decades, reaping the rewards of stability and routine. But our world has changed. Recent events—most notably, the global pandemic—have shattered old certainties. Lockdown became a universal experience, though each nation responded differently. Some enforced it with military presence, others with appeals to maturity and responsibility. Regardless, we have all been thrust into what is now called “the new normal”—a reality none of us can fully define.

In the midst of this upheaval, I’m often asked, “What is God saying?” or “Was COVID-19 an end-time sign?” My answer is always the same: I refuse to manufacture a word from God just to fit in or soothe anxieties. Instead, I look to the New Testament and the early church’s response to crisis. When pestilence and persecution struck, their question was not, “Is this the end?” but, “What shall we do?” and “Whom shall we send?” Their focus was not on judgment, but on engagement—serving their communities in love.

I am encouraged by the stories emerging from this season: neighbours connecting, food banks multiplying, communities caring for the vulnerable. In the UK and beyond, we see glimpses of God’s kingdom breaking through as people ask, “What can I do?” and step into the needs around them.

Yet, let’s be honest. The world is changing at a dizzying pace. The old model of “one job, one reward” is fading. Flexibility, creativity, and curiosity are now essential. But will this season of isolation and reflection truly change us, or will we rush back to our old, consumer-driven habits as soon as possible? The images of smog-free cities and cleaner air are a stark reminder: change is possible, but only if we choose it.

Here’s the challenge: The “new normal” will only be different if we are different. If we do not allow Christ to transform us, we will simply rebuild the same hurried, disconnected world. True change begins with us—our hearts, our habits, our communities.

Many feel the frustration of being disconnected, especially those in rural areas with poor internet or limited resources. The longing for speed, connection, and purpose is real. But perhaps this is an invitation from God to slow down, to listen, and to rediscover what truly matters.

Statistics tell us that dissatisfaction is rampant. Billions are lost each year to disengagement at work; 70% of people in the UK say they are not engaged in their daily routines. What an opportunity for the people of God! The Church is called to be a community of purpose, engagement, and hope—a place where people find meaning and belonging.

But let’s ask ourselves honestly: Have we been truly engaging? Have our churches, ministries, and lives been compelling enough to draw people in, or have we settled for routine and comfort?

The Apostle Paul is a powerful example. Decades after his encounter with Christ, he stood before King Agrippa and testified, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Paul’s engagement with Christ was not a one-time event; it was a lifelong pursuit. His passion and purpose were contagious—so much so that Agrippa said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Are we still living in the wonder of our first encounter with Christ? Is our faith alive enough to engage others? Or have disappointment, hurt, and routine dulled our passion?

It’s easy to look outward—attending conferences, following leaders, seeking inspiration from others. But true engagement starts within. It is rooted in a living relationship with the risen Christ, a daily “yes” to His call, and a willingness to let Him shape our culture and community.

Culture is not a slogan or a vision statement. It is the life we live together, the atmosphere people encounter when they meet us. It requires everyone—young and old, male and female—to participate, to communicate, to shape and sustain it. This takes time, intentionality, and humility.

So here is the challenge: Will you allow Christ to re-engage your heart? Will you help build a community that is truly alive, welcoming, and purposeful? Will you choose to be part of the change, rather than a spectator?

Let us not waste this moment. Let us become a people who are engaged with Christ, engaged with one another, and engaged with the world He loves. May the “new normal” be marked by the presence of Jesus—transforming us, our communities, and our world.

Reflection:  

• How has this season challenged your sense of purpose and engagement?  
• In what ways is Christ inviting you to re-engage with Him and with others?  
• What steps can you take today to help shape a Christ-centred culture in your community?

Let’s not settle for what was. Let’s press on to what could be—together, in Christ.