Never Leaving You
Super Bowl Sunday!!!
Actually, I normally would be excited to watch the game and all, but this year I was not concerned at all with the events of this yearly tradition. Dare I say, this yearly act of worship towards an idol in many lives. Yeah, I say idol because how many skipped out on church just to watch the "Big Game"? How many chose to view an event that within a few hours, days, or month's will have no effect on the outcome of their life? How many looked to the immediate pleasure of the flesh over the eternal ramifications of their choices?
But I digress from what I wanted to post about today...
For month's now, my youngest daughter has been resistant to going to her Sunday school class or even junior church. I for one have been showing frustration with this from time to time, but have "given in" and allowed her to stay with me. It has been a learning process for the both of us. Sunday morning was an example from the Lord that I may have never seen if it had not been for this decision.
As we sat in church she wanted to play, dance around, or cause some type of commotion. She is 5, what do you expect? As a father, it is my duty to teach her how to act in the Lord's house and how to be attentive. I am not perfect and probably fail all to often at teaching her properly. Honestly, any success I see is because of the grace of God in my life and his never dying love, mercy, and patience with me. That is what I am to show my daughter as well.
On to the events of this morning.
As we sat in church, I had to verbally correct her for acting up a little bit. I used my words at a level she would understand and explained the outcome if she would not listen. As I sat up from leaning over and talking to her, I watched as she scooted away from me. Immediately, I wanted to reach down and pull her closer to me. I actually started to... but then I paused. I had the thought of the verse Hebrews 13:5 where it states, I will never leave you and of Matthew 23:37 where Jesus expresses His desires. I sat there, listened to the sermon and waited to see what she would do. I knew she was wrong and acting rebellious. I knew she loved me and that I loved her. I knew that correction is painful or difficult sometimes. I knew that our decisions can cause some distance when we respond or react in the flesh. After a couple minutes, she moved closer to me. I did not encourage nor force her actions. I simply sat there with my arm around her or as close to her as I could and waited. Her desire to be close to me and the love I have for her drew her back to me.
How often do we do this to God? We are corrected or shown something in our lives that He want's to change and we become prideful, indignant, or resistant to what He wants and we "scoot away"? Oh how childish we can be some times. I am so grateful for the loving and patient father that we have in God. He so often has to sit and watch and wait for His stubborn child to see the truth of the situation and come back. So often He is pained (as I was with my daughter) with my scooting away. How many times He must want to pull me too Him and yet does not because He wants me to desire to be closer to Him and will not force the relationship upon me that we both truly want.
As my daughter moved back beside me, I leaned over, kissed her head and gave her a hug. I wanted to confirm my love for her even through her actions. I did not want to leave room for the devil or her flesh to tell her that I did not love or care for her. I am so glad that God does the same for me. When I respond to Him and humble myself and do what He desires, He confirms His love for me. Yes, my daughter and I had a couple more times of correction. Yes, we had some difficult experiences. But at the end of the day, I love her and she knows it. I may have times where I will resist and "scoot away" from God, but at the end of the day... He still loves me and confirms it time and time again.
As a father, my desire is to be more like Christ. I pray that I learn from this episode in my life to be more like my heavenly father and continue to show grace, mercy, love, and patience for my children. I desire see the truth and reasons in what God is working on in my life and that I will respond correctly and not "scoot away". May we all desire the same thing.
Laterz...
Actually, I normally would be excited to watch the game and all, but this year I was not concerned at all with the events of this yearly tradition. Dare I say, this yearly act of worship towards an idol in many lives. Yeah, I say idol because how many skipped out on church just to watch the "Big Game"? How many chose to view an event that within a few hours, days, or month's will have no effect on the outcome of their life? How many looked to the immediate pleasure of the flesh over the eternal ramifications of their choices?
But I digress from what I wanted to post about today...
For month's now, my youngest daughter has been resistant to going to her Sunday school class or even junior church. I for one have been showing frustration with this from time to time, but have "given in" and allowed her to stay with me. It has been a learning process for the both of us. Sunday morning was an example from the Lord that I may have never seen if it had not been for this decision.
As we sat in church she wanted to play, dance around, or cause some type of commotion. She is 5, what do you expect? As a father, it is my duty to teach her how to act in the Lord's house and how to be attentive. I am not perfect and probably fail all to often at teaching her properly. Honestly, any success I see is because of the grace of God in my life and his never dying love, mercy, and patience with me. That is what I am to show my daughter as well.
On to the events of this morning.
As we sat in church, I had to verbally correct her for acting up a little bit. I used my words at a level she would understand and explained the outcome if she would not listen. As I sat up from leaning over and talking to her, I watched as she scooted away from me. Immediately, I wanted to reach down and pull her closer to me. I actually started to... but then I paused. I had the thought of the verse Hebrews 13:5 where it states, I will never leave you and of Matthew 23:37 where Jesus expresses His desires. I sat there, listened to the sermon and waited to see what she would do. I knew she was wrong and acting rebellious. I knew she loved me and that I loved her. I knew that correction is painful or difficult sometimes. I knew that our decisions can cause some distance when we respond or react in the flesh. After a couple minutes, she moved closer to me. I did not encourage nor force her actions. I simply sat there with my arm around her or as close to her as I could and waited. Her desire to be close to me and the love I have for her drew her back to me.
How often do we do this to God? We are corrected or shown something in our lives that He want's to change and we become prideful, indignant, or resistant to what He wants and we "scoot away"? Oh how childish we can be some times. I am so grateful for the loving and patient father that we have in God. He so often has to sit and watch and wait for His stubborn child to see the truth of the situation and come back. So often He is pained (as I was with my daughter) with my scooting away. How many times He must want to pull me too Him and yet does not because He wants me to desire to be closer to Him and will not force the relationship upon me that we both truly want.
As my daughter moved back beside me, I leaned over, kissed her head and gave her a hug. I wanted to confirm my love for her even through her actions. I did not want to leave room for the devil or her flesh to tell her that I did not love or care for her. I am so glad that God does the same for me. When I respond to Him and humble myself and do what He desires, He confirms His love for me. Yes, my daughter and I had a couple more times of correction. Yes, we had some difficult experiences. But at the end of the day, I love her and she knows it. I may have times where I will resist and "scoot away" from God, but at the end of the day... He still loves me and confirms it time and time again.
As a father, my desire is to be more like Christ. I pray that I learn from this episode in my life to be more like my heavenly father and continue to show grace, mercy, love, and patience for my children. I desire see the truth and reasons in what God is working on in my life and that I will respond correctly and not "scoot away". May we all desire the same thing.
Laterz...
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