April 16, 2012
The other day, Brant was doing something and I told him to stop because "X, Y, & Z" was going to happen if he didn't.
Well, what do you think happened?
If you guessed that he immediately obeyed me and stopped doing what he wasn't supposed to be doing and avoided "X, Y, & Z" from happening, then you would absolutely be 100% WRONG! {gasp} Shocking. I know.
So, I was reminding him of all the times where I had predicted unfortunate outcomes with a warning to stop certain behaviors in the past. In typical fashion, he began to- uh um- banter back and forth with me about how I am not ALWAYS right. Just then, Karli stepped in and advised him to "just agree with Mom and move on". To which I replied, "OH REALLY!!!!!"
Um. Yeah. Let's just say that did not go over so well.
It sparked one my infamous rants about how Yes! I Want them to Obey me, But, I Want them to do so with a Willing Heart!
A. Willing. Heart.
Isn't that what God wants from all of us? Obedience; born from our desire to please Him.
Friends, it's not enough to walk around spewing forth God's word. It's not enough to pretend to be holy. It's not enough to do something or not do something because we feel that we have to. No. God wants our hearts. But he wants our hearts Raw. Tender. Compliant. Eager. Intentional. Voluntary. Open. Thirsty.
Let's remind ourselves today that God wants All of us. Let us lay our hearts and will at His Feet. We do this by Trusting Him. The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you', says the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future:''"
We can often foresee things that will produce good and things that will bring harm to our children in their lives. There are times that we just want them to have confidence in our judgement, even though they don't understand the bigger picture. They haven't had the experiences that we have lived through. Their minds cannot comprehend certain aspects of human life and chain of events. Sometimes, my kids question me, and my answer is simply, "Because I said so." There are times when I can back up my request with reasons, but, other times, I just need my children to trust me. I need them to know that I love them above all things on this earth. {After God, of course.} I need them to know that I want more for them than I ever could have dreamed for myself.
If my tiny mind, my limited ability, can guide my children well, what does that say about my Father who is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient?
God calls us to some scary places. Places where we don't want to go. Places where we can easily give a thousand excuses as to why we have no business there, or why we don't have the earthly means to get there. We need to remind ourselves, and often, that God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called! And just like with our own children as we see them being responsible with a certain charge set before them, we will increase their range of privilege. We give them more access. God will also do so for us. I am sure my daughter does not love to unload the dishwasher every day. But, when I see that she works hard, takes initiative to get the task done without being reminded to do so, then I will want to allow her to go here, do that, buy her the thing she has had her eye on for a while. Her obedience, her willing obedience, is rewarded. Always.
Maybe you're content where you are. But, think of where God could take you if you choose to step out of your comfort zone and step into what God has been whispering into the pit of your stomach. We all know that feeling that makes us twitch, the one that makes us want to be anywhere but in that moment of conviction. That conversation we have in our minds about how this cannot be the voice of God because there is no way we can move. Not now, at least. We plan on being obedient, later. We, I, need to trust God. I need to quit stalling. Take a baby step. After all, practice makes better. Just obey.
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27
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