When the parents of my grandchildren text me the unusual comments their little ones make, it’s total entertainment. Their creative thinking is often “way out there,” but we get a wide-open window into what’s on their minds.

This weekend Linnea wrote from Florida about what was on the mind of 3-year-old Micah:

“We were all cuddled up on the bed reading the Children’s Bible, the story of Jesus raising the little girl back to life. We were talking about how powerful Jesus is and that God is the only one who can do miracles. Micah looked up at me with a big smile and sweetly said, ‘Mommy, I want to be God’.”

Although Linnea began laughing, Micah was ready with his reason: “I just want to be in charge of everything.”

Linnea wrote, “He was very matter-of-fact about it, with his big blue eyes and freckly face.” The only thing she could do was accept his honesty at face value. He hadn’t made his assertion with a shred of pride or greed, just 3-year-old logic. Who wouldn’t want to have all the power and do all the miracles?

The sad truth is, 3-year-olds aren’t the only ones who want to be God, because oftentimes adults do, too. We wouldn’t come right out and say it like Micah did or even think it like that, but whenever we choose our own way over God’s, that’s what’s behind it.

Sometimes in our efforts to develop a spiritual side or to live biblically, we give ourselves credit for not wanting to be God, picturing ourselves bowed low in front of him, submitted and humbled. But then we turn and leave his presence with a passion to “do our own thing.” Suddenly we’ve put our agenda atop his, and there we are, playing God again.

The fact that we even have “our own thing” at all puts us in opposition to the Lord. “Our thing” ought only to be whatever “his thing” is for us, even though it may take a lifetime of roping ourselves in before we can fully cooperate with that.

The more we learn about God, the greater the discrepancy between who he is and who we are. There’s no comparison, and it does a world of good for our relationship with him, if we remind ourselves of that now and then. Though 3-year-old Micah still innocently dreams of wanting to be God, my 68-year-old self just better not.

“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)