Davids Daily Dose

Naps with God

The kindergarteners in the classroom where my wife substitutes have a rest time every afternoon. For about thirty minutes, it’s lights out and everyone lies down on their blanket.

Some sleep and some don’t, but it’s a quiet time for everyone. This past Tuesday, when the lights came back on, one little guy sat up and said to my wife, “Mrs. Duncan, I was hugging God.”

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Jesus- Mark 10:14b (NIV)

Kind reader, in 19 years as a public educator, this same conversation with a kid has happened twice. The first time, a little girl at a children’s shelter told me she “Took naps with God.” Read that story here.

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Jesus- Mark 10:15 (NIV)

What is it about little children that makes them so easily tuned in to the creator of the universe? Jesus said it’s humility (Matthew 18:4).

Young kids are many things, but they’re not disingenuous. What you see is pretty much what you get. Pre-kindergartener’s aren’t even passable liars.🙃

But big people are better at shading the truth. Aren’t we? And, sometimes, we run from a loving God who wants to hug us.

Thank you for reading. 🙏❤️ prayers and love.

The Faith of a Child, by David Duncan

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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61 responses to “Naps with God”

  1. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. sibongilecharitysehlake Avatar
    sibongilecharitysehlake

    Sweet

    Liked by 2 people

  3. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    It thought so as well, Stacey. It was a sweet and powerful reminder!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Stacey Avatar
    Stacey

    Aww, how sweet.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. The Devotional Guy™ Avatar
    The Devotional Guy™

    Thank you 🙏

    Liked by 1 person

  6. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Have a safe trip, and a great visit with your mom, Rainer.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. The Devotional Guy™ Avatar
    The Devotional Guy™

    No, today is an off day for us. I’m actually taking some PTO this week. After family Labor Day celebrations here, I will be heading to East Texas to visit my Mom.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    You’re most welcome, brother. And thank you for reading and interacting. I hope you have a good holiday. Is this a work day for you?

    Liked by 1 person

  9. The Devotional Guy™ Avatar
    The Devotional Guy™

    You paint a beautiful picture of faith in its purest form, David. Thanks for sharing this encouraging story with the rest of us.

    Liked by 3 people

  10. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thank you, Peggy! I’m working on having the faith of a child, too. God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. peggywritesblog Avatar
    peggywritesblog

    Beautiful story and your song! Oh, that we could have faith like a child! Working on it…
    Thanks for sharing, David!

    Liked by 2 people

  12. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    True. God doesn’t need a nap, but Jesus (God & man) did. I love collaborations with brother Gary! Cowriting a song with him would be great!

    Liked by 2 people

  13. jesusluvsall Avatar
    jesusluvsall

    I love naps. Jesus took a nap in the boat even in the midst of a storm. I like your song. Maybe you and Gary can get together and create a song.

    Liked by 3 people

  14. ladysheepdog Avatar
    ladysheepdog

    yes I’m sure it wouldn’t – lol. I promptly went to sleep in my mother’s lap as the pastor took his place behind the pulpit as I didn’t want to go be with my own age in the class for youngsters. The neurodiversity explains that. I did finally tell myself that I should stay awake and listen to what the pastor is saying. Can’t remember what age that was exactly was, but it was probably late elementary. I never did like sitting with my own age as they would fool around and not listen to the preaching and I was not going to be part of that. Go figure – a jr high kid that turned her nose at the teenagers around her. Again, autism, not piousness.

    Later in life when I was about twenty, I joined a co-worker and her husband the pastor at their church. They had a teenage son. I had a hard time not fooling around in church with him and it was all I could do to not have a laughing fit as her husband was preaching. And what made it really bad, was we were the only four there. I tried to be the responsible adult I was suppose to be. It was hard. – lol.

    I also think I turned out ok with my relationship with Jesus.

    Liked by 3 people

  15. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thank you, Beth. I just added the song to the post today. Yes, the faith of children is so fresh and inspiring! I’ve thought about how Jesus said it was bad news for someone who caused a little one to stumble into sin. By God’s grace, I won’t be such a person. Thank you for stopping by, Beth. 🙏God Bless you and yours.

    Like

  16. Beth Alisan Avatar
    Beth Alisan

    A beautiful song David! Somebody is doing a wonderful job pouring such love and truth into that little one. What a shining moment that must have been in your wife’s day. The faith of a child is so pure and so inspiring. These days with the things that are creeping into children’s books and curriculums I find myself frequently thinking of the warning Jesus gives in Matthew 18 to adults who would cause a little one who believes in Him to stumble into sin.

    Liked by 3 people

  17. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thank you, Andy B.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. BerryBunch.family Avatar
    BerryBunch.family

    Beautiful!!

    Liked by 3 people

  19. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    I forgot about that verse. I think it’s from Isaiah. God has, on occasion, put kids in charge: Samuel and David—and a 12 year old Jesus. Good thought! Thank you and God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    I’ll see if it ended up in my SPAM folder. WP has also unfollowed folk for me—that I wanted to keep following.

    Like

  21. Alan Kearns Avatar
    Alan Kearns

    My original comment on this post got lost in the ether of WordPress somewhere in their new processes

    Liked by 1 person

  22. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thanks, brother. It’s been several years since the little girl told me she took naps with God, but the wee lad’s story was so similar it made me pause for praise. Blessings, my brother!

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Alan Kearns Avatar
    Alan Kearns

    I loved this follow up on the previous such post (“I take naps with God”). I love this one just as much, who couldn’t love the wisdom of a kid saying “he was hugging God” – it is just pricelessly beautiful. May we never lose the ability to see through a child’s eyes the things of God.

    Liked by 3 people

  24. Don't Lose Hope Avatar
    Don’t Lose Hope

    That is so beautiful, David. It reminds me of the verse which says “and a little child shall lead them.” There is a powerful message here for all of us.

    Liked by 3 people

  25. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    I’m glad you enjoyed both stories, Bridget. Twice in twenty years, two separate children saying basically the same thing ( I take naps with God), is beyond coincidence. Yes, Nancy is a retired teacher who spent 37 years in the classroom. She now works as a full time substitute. Thank you for being a regular reader and contributor. God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Bridget A. Thomas Avatar
    Bridget A. Thomas

    I enjoyed reading both stories. Children have a way of showing us that sometimes the answers to our problems are just so simple. We just need to hug God and we will feel better. Thank you, David! I didn’t know your wife was a teacher too. I love that you both have a heart for children. 🤍

    Liked by 3 people

  27. God Still Speaks Avatar
    God Still Speaks

    And God loves to give them!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Same here, sister! Big people need heavenly hugs too! Thanks for stopping by.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. God Still Speaks Avatar
    God Still Speaks

    “I was hugging God.” I love what kids say! Next time I take a nap, I want to hug God too!

    Liked by 3 people

  30. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Got it, Susan. What’s done is done. All we can do is move forward. I need to write who’s who down somewhere. How embarrassing 😳

    Like

  31. ladysheepdog Avatar
    ladysheepdog

    Wow, I just spouted off/posted a blog post about being called Venus. Maybe its still needed to be said. BTW – My name is Susan. I can’t take it down now as that would look suspicious, right? Oh well, we will see what happens. I’ll go and edit it.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thanks, BG! God Bless, brother!

    Liked by 1 person

  33. BG Avatar
    BG

    Good stuff!

    Liked by 3 people

  34. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    The heat hit late this year, but is wants to linger.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    I get mixed up, I thought you said your name was Venus. But I now know that’s another blogger, Catsandcoffee. Sorry about that. LadySheepDog works. 😊

    Like

  36. Gary Fultz Avatar
    Gary Fultz

    We escaped most of the heat except our June was warm. Mostly 70’s with some 60’s and 80’s for highs the rest of the summer. We won’t make 70 today.

    Liked by 2 people

  37. Crystal Byers Avatar
    Crystal Byers

    Thank you, David!

    Liked by 1 person

  38. ladysheepdog Avatar
    ladysheepdog

    Venus? thanks for the prayers.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    🙏with you.

    Liked by 1 person

  40. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    We can be strong in many ways. One of the most powerful people I know is a 79 year old grandmother. She knows what she believes, why see believes it, and can articulate this—both verbally and in writing. I look forward to reading your post, Venus. I prayed for you this week!

    Liked by 1 person

  41. pastorpete51 Avatar
    pastorpete51

    The cots instead of chairs idea probably wouldn’t make it past the board approval. But for our little ones, I can vouch for ours, that they napped when needed in church and seem to have turned out just fine.

    Liked by 4 people

  42. Crystal Byers Avatar
    Crystal Byers

    Praying I continue to feel like the little guy!

    Liked by 2 people

  43. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    That’s understandable, given your recent good news, Crystal. Every day is a gift, and you know this better than many.

    Like

  44. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    The biggest challenge, for me, is being a responsible adult while still having the faith of a child. Is this what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus “You must be born again?” Could be a post in itself. Thanks for chiming in, Gary. Is it cooking off up north yet—even at night? It was 94 here last night at 10 pm.

    Liked by 2 people

  45. ladysheepdog Avatar
    ladysheepdog

    Aside from the comment I left to pastor51, I was going to leave my own comment. I was just this morning thinking about Pippy Longstocking and how I might come across as a little girl, but I have the strength of several men, so I am quite the conundrum. I was thinking about maybe doing a blog about it and then you had this post. I still will probably do a blog as there are other details and analogies I would like to present. Anyway, great post.

    Liked by 3 people

  46. ladysheepdog Avatar
    ladysheepdog

    Why not? Maybe “church” is the only place someone like that little girl can feel safe and at peace while sleeping. There are many people who have been abuse, some of them adults. We need to think outside the box. If turning on praise music or turning a “you can stop smoking” tape on before going to bed and having that speak into one’s subconscious, why not help people get the healing they need by letting them sleep in church. They are still hearing The Word, as long as The Word is being preach correctly. Hopefully it is just for a while until they can stay awake, but we can’t put a time schedule on all healings.

    I just had a revolutionary thought. What if we did set up a room full of cots and let people nap while The Word was being preached? Hmmm, what a concept, mass subconscious indwelling of The Word. Guess who’s been doing that incorrectly and wickedly for thousands of years? The cults, that’s who. Again, maybe we should rethink our get people heal methods. A room full of snoring Christians getting scripture read to them or a preacher at a podium while that is happening is a funny scene in my mind. But I’m sure it would be quite effective in the long run.

    Liked by 4 people

  47. Crystal Byers Avatar
    Crystal Byers

    I felt like that little guy this week.

    Liked by 3 people

  48. Gary Fultz Avatar
    Gary Fultz

    Love it David. Is it possible to become child-like again? To my knowledge there are no books telling us how except possibly the Bible?? Maybe an element of spiritual growth could be measured in being “child like”?

    Liked by 3 people

  49. K.L. Hale Avatar
    K.L. Hale

    Yay!! Yes! I’m a bit slow right now, so I see you up front and I’ll meet you there!😂 🏃‍♀️

    Liked by 1 person

  50. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thank you, Mandy! I hope you and Nathan and your little dog have an awesome weekend. God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

  51. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    I’m running 🏃🏻 too, Karla! Jesus doesn’t discriminate. He hugs big people.

    Liked by 1 person

  52. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Yes, we do. And God reminds me of this at least weekly, through the words and actions of children. Thank you for sharing. God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

  53. Blue Collar Theologian Avatar
    Blue Collar Theologian

    Beautiful David, thank you!!! Great way to start the day!!!

    Liked by 3 people

  54. K.L. Hale Avatar
    K.L. Hale

    I love this so much, David. It’s so precious and true. I once told someone, “If a 2nd grader tells you, it’s true!” Tee hee. Faith as a child. To this day I imagine Jesus wrapping me in his arms. I SEE the children running to him, and I’m running along, just as the children!

    Liked by 3 people

  55. FlowIntoWords Avatar
    FlowIntoWords

    Beautiful, us adults have a lot to learn/relearn from children. Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 3 people

  56. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Oh, never in church. Agreed!

    Liked by 1 person

  57. pastorpete51 Avatar
    pastorpete51

    Oh yes, Sunday naps are great. I did mean just not in church!

    Liked by 2 people

  58. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Sunday is usually the only day I take an afternoon nap, Pete. I call it “prayer napping.” You start by saying the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, Holy is your name…” 😴💤 He’s not offended. When I wake up, I’m still praying.😇
    Thanks for stopping by! God Bless.

    Liked by 3 people

  59. pastorpete51 Avatar
    pastorpete51

    Hmm naps with God. Now that is a beautiful thought, Dave. I just hope we don’t get our practice on Sunday!

    Liked by 5 people

  60. davidsdailydose Avatar
    davidsdailydose

    Thank you, Vera. And the most beautiful part simply happened. I only wrote it down Thank you for reading and commenting.

    Liked by 2 people

  61. Vera Day Avatar
    Vera Day

    This is beautiful, David.

    Liked by 3 people

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