'Swings and Squash' by Amy Dutton

‘Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.’ (Hebrews 6 v 1)

Somehow I’ve reached that age when lots of my friends are getting married and are ‘offspring-ing’ all over the country and suddenly I feel compelled to grow up a little. Becoming a grown up is scary by the way. I still forget to do little things like check labels on clothes that say, “Please don't wash me with red things, I'm white, stupid,” and never ever seem to own milk or bread. I'm clinging onto childhood by the skin of my teeth; I still love swings and jelly snakes and blackcurrant squash. It makes me think though. How many of us grasp onto childhood in our faith? Yes, ‘childlike faith’ is a beautiful thing, but are we using this as an excuse for a faith that requires no responsibility? Are we waiting for a set of over-zealous asparagus in Veggie Tales to help us get to know our Creator, or are we...am I...willing to make the effort to further my relationship with our Father, asking what, where and how he wants us to be? How much more is there for us to discover as we step out from a Sunday school, spoon-fed faith. Where will God send us when we respond? Who does He want us to stand alongside and what gifts does He long for us to use to glorify His name? Yes, it’s easy to envy children, but childhood is only for a time. With growing up comes responsibility, but also freedom...to adventure beyond the walls of the playground or your imagination. I know I am too easily persuaded to sit in comfortable immaturity rather than living the wild, abandoned life that reflects His character in me...are you?