"GeeGus" in My Heart

Faith was in kindergarten. Every day she would come home with her green folder, full of the activities of her day. Spelling tests. Addition worksheets. Important notes. Craft items and the drawings that kept her busy on the bus ride.

A week before Valentine's day she unpacked her backpack and from within the depths of her green folder emerged a beautiful, colorful picture of a heart. Inside the heart were various boxes, each with a written word inside it.

The top box in the heart said, "GeeGus". Other boxes included words such as "Animoos". "Family", "Frens" and "Hom". Since Faith is our third child, I had gotten pretty good at reading the written work of our young children and could make out what most of the words in the boxes said...animals, family, friends, and home. But the top box had me stumped. "GeeGus?" Hmmmm.....

"Faith, what is this you did at school?" I asked, anxiously awaiting her explanation of the word in the top box of the heart.

"Oh Mommy, this is all of the things that fill up my heart!"

"Oh", I replied, "what are they all?"

And then in a moment I will never forget, Faith looked at me with her big blue eyes and said, "Well, this top one here is JESUS because He lives in my heart!"

You wouldn't have been able to measure the smile on my face that day. My heart was absolutely filled with love for my daughter in that moment. JESUS! TOP SPOT! NUMERO UNO! She said it in such a matter of fact tone, as if saying, "Well, why wouldn't Jesus be in the top spot in my heart?"

"I tell you the truth anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a 
little child will not enter it!"

Luke 18:17

Oh, to have this faith every day! Faith without seeing! Faith without fully understanding! Faith like a child! My daughter presents us with the true understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He came to die for us. To live in our heart. He wants the top spot! He doesn't want to be placed behind family, friends, or home! He would never take those things that matter so much to you out of your heart, but He should always be in the top box!

And this is part of the lesson from this kindergarten activity -  Jesus will never demand the top spot. Rather, he requests that you put Him there! Faith had to decide where to write "GeeGus". She could have put him in the middle, on the left or at the bottom, but instead she chose the top spot! Other kids might have used that box for chocolate, video games or their bicycle! 

You see, you choose where He gets to sit in your heart!

Oh, dear God, I pray for forgiveness for the times I have not given you the top box. Help me remember that you will not force yourself into that spot. Help me to have the faith of a child and put you there every day, in every instance of my life! Be the center of my heart Lord! Take top lead! The number one box is yours!