Children are a never-ending source of learning for us adults. From the very beginning they show us how dependent they are on us parents…for everything. They let us know when they need food and we provide it. They let us know when they are soiled and we change it. They let us know when they need love and we give it. They let us know that without us they would perish. As adults, we find ourselves giving constantly so that they can survive and thrive. Which we do willingly.
As they grow and age and become somewhat independent they sometimes take a different direction and run from us. We parents take this very hard. After all, look what we have done for them and how we have sacrificed for them. Don’t they realize what we have sacrificed? Don’t they have a little respect and gratitude? But have you noticed that when they run away they don’t run very fast?
I was given an example of this from my seven-year-old daughter recently. When your child runs from you, have you ever chased them only to hear laughter? Being seven she no longer runs aimlessly. Nowadays she gives directions for the chase. “Dad, I am going to run into my bed room, you chase me, but I will hide under the bed. When you come in say ‘where is Ashton’ I will jump out and scare you, then you run into the living room and I will chase you, and then…” well, I am sure you get the idea. These directions can go on forever. The directions change but the desired results are always the same; chase me but don’t catch me, run from me but not so fast that I can’t catch you.
As children we don’t realize what God has done for us. We don’t look around
to see all that He has provided. “Since what may be known about God is plain…for since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20) And so, when we get older we run…from God. Not so fast that He cannot catch us but we have rules of the chase, just like Ashton.
Don’t ask me to go to church, because that is where all the hypocrites are. Don’t ask me to a bible study because the book is too hard to understand. Don’t ask me to believe in something or someone I cannot see. Don’t be overfriendly and too mushy, but don’t ignore me. Don’t tell me how loving God is and that I am going to hell in the same breath. Recognize that I am running but not so fast that you cannot catch me. Notice that I do want to be caught; I just don’t know how it needs to play out.
“What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30) is the question that we almost always verbalize. Just cut to the chase and give it to me straight. What must I do is an expectation of things I must accomplish before God will accept me. Attend church, stop drinking and smoking, don’t think bad thoughts, give money to the church, go on a mission trip, build a house for the needy…the list can go on forever. We see these things as sacrifices we must offer to become Christians. Paul’s reply to the question was not sacrifice but believe. “Believe in the lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
The sacrifices that God looks for are “…a broken spirit (not me but Him); a broken and contrite (repentant) heart…” (Psalm 51:17) One requirement that God seeks is faith, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Paul encouraged the Ephesians with these words, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
God has great plans for each of us just as we have great plans for Ashton. All I have to do is catch her before she runs away. All we have to do is to stop running away.
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