At an early stage, babies learn to throw objects from their cot or high chair. This throwing action helps them to establish an understanding of the objects existence beyond sight. Initially babies tend to believe that once something is out of sight, it ceases to exist. Hence they cry when a loved one moves into another room, or simply out of their line of sight. I'm sure I'd howl if I thought someone I loved had suddenly disappeared!
By throwing objects beyond their visual field, they learn to use their other senses, (i.e. hearing the sound of the object hitting the floor, and feeling the vibrations of the impact the object makes on the floor, and to see mummy bend over to retrieve it) to recognise its continued existence. The repetition of this behaviour, reinforces that the object still exists, even when it cannot be seen. This realisation of existence is a developmental milestone that all babies go through in the first year of life. Maternal Child Health nurses will often test for this milestone, known as "object permanence", by placing an object the baby can see, underneath a cover of some sort - a piece of paper or cloth etc. Then they observe the baby's response to see if they will attempt to retrieve the object from where it has been placed. When the baby does retrieve the hidden object, they are said to have developed "Object Permanence".
This development tells us that the baby has a growing awareness of the world around them, and is learning to interact with its environment. It also reassures us as parents that slowly the baby will adjust to coping with us moving out of sight for short periods of time. Parents can often help this adjustment phase by continuing to talk with their babies when moving out of sight, reassuring them of their continued presence. This builds trust and a reliance on the parent that even though they are not in sight, they are still present and still care.
When people find faith, in God, through Jesus Christ, they are called "Born Again" believers and they enter their spiritual life as "babes". The bible likens a new believer to an infant requiring milk.
1 Peter 2:2 says Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, (New Living Translation).
This following utube clip explains this concept a little more.
This following utube clip explains this concept a little more.
Clearly milk is required for growth and development of babies. As growing Christians, I believe we also go through developmental stages in our spiritual life with God and understanding his purposes for us. I also believe that we go through a stage of developing object permanence in relation to God. I know I sure have.
Babes in Christ, when encountering times of trial and difficulty, will often falter in their spiritual walk with God during these seasons. Just like the one year old who looks away, when the object is covered, doubts surface when God seems hidden, far off or difficult to see, hear or feel, and young Christians take their eyes off of Him and look elsewhere for their needs or desires to be met. This presents an opportunity for the vulnerable to be deceived by the devil, resulting in disillusionment and walking away from their faith.
This is not an uncommon experience for those young in their walk with God. The challenge is to develop spiritual object permanence. Saint Paul talks candidly to the Hebrew believers about faltering in their walk with God
Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)
This is not an uncommon experience for those young in their walk with God. The challenge is to develop spiritual object permanence. Saint Paul talks candidly to the Hebrew believers about faltering in their walk with God
Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)
11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
and to the Corinthian believers,
1 Corinthians 3 :1-23 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 3 :1-23 (NIV)
1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual1 but as worldly2--mere infants3 in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food,4 for you were not yet ready for it.5 Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling6 among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
God doesn't want us to falter in our relationship with Him, and he wants us to develop an understanding of his permanent presence in our lives and in his availability to us. He says to us in his word, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 quoting Joshua 1:5-9 where God says to be strong, courageous and not to be afraid .
As parents frequently play peek a boo or hide n seek with their children, their children develop confidence in their parents, in their belief in their existance even when hidden from them. What seems so harmless to us as a baby game, to a baby may seem quite stressful intially until they learn object permanence. So too, God also test us repeatedly through times of stress or trial, of silence and distance, yet he never leaves us alone. God is Omnipresent - present everywhere and throughout all time. The bible also tells us that there is no where that he will not go for us. He loves us so much. It is in these times of testing, that, as we look for Him, as we seek to understand what is going on, just as babies do in peek a boo games, God reveals himself to us, reinforcing his own permanent presence in our lives, and helping us to develop a higher level of trust and awareness of Him.
As parents frequently play peek a boo or hide n seek with their children, their children develop confidence in their parents, in their belief in their existance even when hidden from them. What seems so harmless to us as a baby game, to a baby may seem quite stressful intially until they learn object permanence. So too, God also test us repeatedly through times of stress or trial, of silence and distance, yet he never leaves us alone. God is Omnipresent - present everywhere and throughout all time. The bible also tells us that there is no where that he will not go for us. He loves us so much. It is in these times of testing, that, as we look for Him, as we seek to understand what is going on, just as babies do in peek a boo games, God reveals himself to us, reinforcing his own permanent presence in our lives, and helping us to develop a higher level of trust and awareness of Him.
Psalm 139
LORD, you have examined me, and you know me.
2You alone know when I sit down and when I get up. You read my thoughts from far away.
3You watch me when I travel and when I rest. You are familiar with all my ways.
4Even before there is a [single] word on my tongue, you know all about it, LORD.
5You are all around me-in front of me and in back of me. You lay your hand on me.
6Such knowledge is beyond my grasp. It is so high I cannot reach it.
7Where can I go [to get away] from your Spirit? Where can I run [to get away] from you?
8If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there.
9If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun [or] land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets,
10even there your hand would guide me and your right hand would hold on to me.
11If I say, "Let the darkness hide me and let the light around me turn into night,"
12even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same [to you].
13You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother.
14I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.
15My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop.
16Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day [of my life] was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.
17How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are!
18If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
19I wish that you would kill wicked people, O God, and that bloodthirsty people would leave me alone.
20They say wicked things about you. Your enemies misuse your name.
21Shouldn't I hate those who hate you, O LORD? Shouldn't I be disgusted with those who attack you?
22I hate them with all my heart. They have become my enemies.
23Examine me, O God, and know my mind. Test me, and know my thoughts.
24See whether I am on an evil path. Then lead me on the everlasting path.
God wants us to mature in our walk with Him. No longer requiring milk like babes (the shallow understanding about Jesus) but desiring the deeper meatiness of knowing Jesus personally, of His teachings, His life and what He demonstrated for us to follow.
1 Corinthians 14:20 says, Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In other words, we need to continue to develop spiritual milestones as we grow in Christ. Understanding the permanence of God in our lives and developing trust in Him even when He seems distant or in the midst of hard times, are small steps in the right direction.
