In these type of relationships, sometimes it is easy to meet the requirements or perform well enough to please the people/bosses placed over us. When we do well, we reap the rewards (i.e. good grades, pay raise, etc...). Still, at times, it is not so easy to meet the demands placed on us. And usually, negative consequences will follow.
It is all to easy for us to bring this "business like" mentality into our relationship with God. We seek to gain acceptance from God by doing things that we think will please Him. Sadly, we often build our core definition of salvation from this mentality. We try hard to pray often, read Scripture daily, go to Church on Sunday's, tithe 10%, and volunteer for different ministries all in order to seek God's good grace. When we mess up, sin, we do these things with even more intensity as if to quickly re-purify ourselves in a form of "binge-holiness". Paul's letter to the Galatians is a reminder to the believers that God's acceptance of them is based on the external factor of His love (Galatians 3:23-4:7). In this we too can find hope and freedom from our inability to be perfect.
I'll state as simply as I can: God does not want to be your boss, He wants to be your father.
When you trust that Christ has taken your disobedience and laid it to rest forever by dying on the cross, you become a child of God. Truth: YOU ENTER HIS HOUSEHOLD! This was the blessing of Abraham being fulfilled.
Sometimes we get too carried away with doing things, thinking they will please God and we miss the fact that God wants to love us like a father loves his children. Stressing out about our failures often times is due to a misconception of God's love and acceptance. He doesn't look at your performance, He looks at Christ. Your obedience is a sign that you love Him that will evidence over time. We cannot become perfect over night. Just like a child learns how to walk or talk, it takes repeated routine, practice, love, and encouragement from the parents.
When Jesus taught us how to pray he started with, "Our Father, who is in heaven..." (italics added). That word literally means daddy. Jesus addressed God as dad. And in Galatians 4:7, we see that we too can cry out to God as our father because of the work of Christ, not because we've been good.
What does a father relationship with God look like to you? Do you call him Dad?
Sam - I enjoyed and was encouraged (no, really, I was - not just saying it in church-speak) by your post. The term "binge-holiness" is apt and descriptive; your reminder of his grace is right on. Orderly prayer or actively remembering that I am in God's presence is hard work for me: I often pray through/meditate on the Lord's Prayer when I just can't get my thoughts directed heavenward. Sometimes I never get much past "Our Father" - it is so corporate and comforting, when as a 'kid' of God I cry out to Him, and feel lonely. Keep up your good work.
ReplyDeleteAnd take it from a Dad who has often scratched his head over whether my kids would be better off with LESS or MORE of my input: you CAN'T pick your kids, but you CAN pick your nose; and frequently you HAVE to pick your kids' noses when they are little.
Anon, the idea of constantly being in God's presence because of Christ not our self worth is something we need to be reminded of daily. Your insight as a Dad is greatly appreciated!
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