Simple, Child-like Faith...

 Recently, as I prepared to leave for a Bible Study lecture, my son Jim came into my bedroom and asked if he could pray for me before I left. I was recovering from neck surgery and he knew that I was in a great deal of pain. "Absolutely," I said. He kneeled beside my bed and took my hand in his. "God," he said. "This is Jim Wesley Blackmon Jr. You know me."  He continued to pray for me, in a few words, straight and to the point. His prayer stayed with me and I shared it with the women at the lecture. 

"You know me." Simple, child-like faith. I wonder how many of us feel we could say this to God and believe it. A relationship with God requires that God know us and we know him.  It also requires child-like faith. Sometimes, it is difficult to believe in eternity when we are struggling with stress, self-doubt, or great pain. We must have faith that a God whom we cannot see hears our prayers and knows who we are.  

Ok, I know many of you are caught up in the precious way he introduced himself to God. I admit the fact that he used his entire name, melted my heart. You see, many autistic or "special needs" children do this. They refer to their friends by first and last names as well. 

When Jim and his "special needs" friends meet, they call one another by first and last names. They give one another that special little hug (They do not actually make body contact, except for patting one another on the shoulder with their fingertips.) No matter how much time has passed, whether days or years, they remember one another's names. This is even more amazing because they never seem to make eye contact or look at the other person's face.

Jim does not need to look God in the eye to know who he is. God is as real to Jim as you or I. God knows Jim. He uses him in wonderful and miraculous ways. Jim grew up in Dewy Rose Baptist Church. The people love him and bless him as he blesses them. I am often astounded at the number of people in our town who know him. Count yourself lucky if you are Jim's Facebook friend. Jim does more than repaste photos. He chats. I cannot tell you the people who come to me and tell them what a blessing he is to them through his chats. I call this his Facebook Ministry.

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In a recent sermon, our pastor told how he and another man ran into Jim at lunch one day. As usual, Jim was all smiles. "Hey, Kenny Martin!" (Yes, he calls our Pastor by his first and last name.) The other man told Kenny that if it were in his power, he would change Jim.  (Many of us in the auditorium were shaking our heads when we heard this.) But, the man had continued, if he had God's power, God's knowledge, and God's understanding, he would change nothing about Jim. 

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Technically, Jim is my nephew. He is the biological son of my brother. Jim is the product of alcohol, drug abuse and God's Grace. He came to us in Foster care before he was two years old and, when he was three, we were given permanent legal custody.  Jim is now 29 years old. He may not be my biological son, but he is my son. He is a miraculous gift from God. Change him? Definitely not!

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