Wednesday, February 23, 2011

I am God's child (Part 2)

My wife, Shirley, and I have four kids...all teenagers...although one of them is reluctantly though relentlessly approaching her 20th birthday.  It is great watching them grow up into adulthood.  The last thing in the world I would want is for them NOT to grow up.  And yet, no matter how old and grown up they get, they will always be our children.

God wants all of us to grow up in Christ, too.  He doesn't want us to stay spiritual babies.  Paul wrote, "You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast...As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way?" (1 Cor. 3:1-3 MSG)..

Here's the paradox:  Though God doesn't want us to remain spiritually childish, He does want us to remain spiritually childlike...innocent of evil, trusting in His provision, humbly dependent upon Him in every way.  The surprising thing about being God's child, is that as you mature in Christ you become even more trusting and dependent on God...not less.  As you grow up in Christ, you do not grow away from your need for the Father, you grow deeper into your need for the Father.

At our house, our kids don't sweat it when meal time comes around.  They trust their parents to put food on the table.  And they don't worry about whether they'll have clothes to wear to school.  They know their parents have it all taken care of and so they are able to rest in the knowledge they are loved and will be cared for.  At times we humans fail as parents, but God is the greatest Parent there ever was or ever could be.  He never fails.  He is our heavenly Father, good and faithful every day.  Do you trust Him?  Have you learned to rest in your Father's provision...at peace in His arms?

I know, I know, you want to grow up in Christ...and well you should!  But you cannot be a man or woman of God without first learning what it means to be and live as a child of God...not childish but childlike.  I am God's child , God's kid.  And so are you, if you are a true follower of Christ. 

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I am God's child

I used to wonder what my dad did at work when I was a kid.  He would try and explain it to me...it had something to do with engineering...but I could never quite get my mind around it.  All I knew was that my dad was important and I was really proud of him and that I couldn't wait to wrap my arms around him and give him a big hug when he came home from work.

I've got another Dad...and so do you if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ.  If somebody ever asks you what your Dad, your heavenly Father does, you can tell that person...even though you'll never quite be able to get your mind around it:  He keeps track of all the planets, stars and galaxies in the universe, and He calls each star by its own name.  He knows the number of leaves on all the trees in the whole world, and notices when the smallest bird in one of those trees falls to the ground.  He loves all six billion plus people on planet earth, and if all were to talk to Him at once, He would have no trouble hearing and answering each one...personally.

And if you are in Christ, He calls you son or daughter.  Your heavenly Father is not just important; He is supreme.   And you can be REALLY proud of Him.  And He can't wait until the moment when you run to Him and wrap your arms around Him and give Him a big hug.  He's the best Dad in the entire universe. 

He is God and I am God's child, God's kid.  And in Christ...so are you.