Children

                                                                                                                                    

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Since we celebrate Father’s Day in June I was going to share about the greatest of all Fathers, God Almighty. But then the more I thought about it the more I wanted to share about our role as His children.

                In the Old Testament, Israel, for the most part, considered their God to be unapproachable. To them He was not thought of as a “warm and fuzzy” God. Yes, there were those who had enjoyed wonderful relationship with God, such as Abraham, Moses and David. David himself wrote about his relationship with God.

                “"I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” (Psalm 18:1b and 2). 

But as great as his relationships was with God Almighty, David never knew Him as a Father. Until Jesus Christ came. Jesus Christ made available to us a new kind of relationship with God. As one of a Father with His children. 

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (II Corinthians 6:18) God is now our Abba. Our Daddy!(Romans 8:15)

                Now, God takes His job as our Father very seriously. He is constantly teaching us, guiding us, directing our steps, reproving and correcting us. How does He do this? By His Own Word.

                Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word. (Psalm 119:9)

                 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

 God has given us instruction through His Word. If we don’t look into His Word, we will not have His guidance and instruction to live by.

As I was thinking about the way God works with us as children, I watched a Mother and her young son walk down the hallway. Just watching them walk down the hall was a lesson in constant instruction, guidance and vigilance. The Mother would constantly tell her son which way to go, but he would be easily distracted and start walking his own way. Then the Mother would have to go a bring him back to the right path. After a little bit of time the Mother finally took her son’s hand and they both walk walked the rest of the way down the hallway. This reminded me of the way we first came into God’s Family; as children just starting to walk. We heard His instruction but more times than not we would go our own way, coming back when we felt like it or when we got into trouble. It seems that God would have to instruct us again and again until we decided to start obeying Him (thank goodness He’s patient). And at times God would take us by the hand and guide us along.

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (Isaiah 41:13)

Before long children start to imitate their parents. They quickly pick up the habits of the parents, good ones and bad ones. I have seen this in my own children as well.  This reminded me of a verse from Ephesians, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1) The word followers should more accurately be translated “mimics.” We are to be “mimics” or imitators of God our Father. Now, you may ask “How is this possible? How do we imitate God?” We look at the one who first did it, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ revealed the Father’s true nature by becoming just like Him. If you wanted to know what God was like, all you had to do was look at the son. He showed God’s true nature by his power, his mercy, by his willingness to forgive and to heal, and mostly by his love for others. We are challenged to follow his example.

When children grow older, there is a time when they feel they can head out on there own and make there own way. They no longer need the parents to rely on. This is not the same with our heavenly Father. There will never be a time when we go on our own and live independent from God. He always wants to help and guide us throughout our entire lives. We will never not-need-God. In fact, God wants to always be there to give us every good thing, if we only ask him.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?   (Matthew 7:7 and 8, 11)

 Love Always, Ray

“When all else fails, love. And then give.”