Having children has taught me so much about how to relate to God. My children are grown, and gone. They both live in two different towns over 300 miles away from me. And, I don't hear from them as often as I'd like. I had a conversation with my children last night on Face Book and it made me think of my relationship with God in comparison with my relationship with my children.
They are my children. They will always be my children.
I am God's child. I will always be God's child.
When you have children, you give them everything they need to survive. You teach them right from wrong. You correct them when they need correcting, and you give them responsibilities as they learn and grow older. Any good parent is willing to sacrifice their life for their children. Then, you send them out into the world and hope they have learned enough to be able to raise children of their own.
As children of God, He provides everything we need to survive. He gave us the Bible to teach us right from wrong. When we stray from that, our lives are in shambles, we are unhappy, discontent and unfulfilled. But, Jesus sacrificed His life so we could have life and life more abundant! And, then He sent us out into the world to proclaim the good news, that there is hope, and to be each other's support as we learn and grown in Him.
Last night, once again, God taught me a lesson in the nature of the love that God gives to us, His children.
My oldest son was searching for music to listen to. Everyone was giving him pointers, and suggestions on what to get.
Life is like that. Sometimes when you are stumbling along, everyone wants to give advice, or put their two-cents worth in, on how you should live.
My younger son even chimed in with his favorite bands for him to listen to. I was appalled at their taste in music. So, I spoke up.
God is like that, too. He sees us down here on earth, and He takes note of all of the different talents and gifts He has given us, and what we do with them, and sometimes He is appalled. That is when you get nudged by Him as He probably says something like I said,
"Aw, c'mon! The new generation of music SUCKS!" Then I gave them a few suggestions they might like from MY generation.
They both laughed at me because, in truth, the music they were listening to has been around for a few generations.
Both of my children, being as different from each other as night and day, listen to different genres of music from each other. And, both of them are way different than me.
We, many times, don't step to the tune of our God, either.
So, noting my suggestions, and laughing at my comments, they each offered a tune for me to listen to that they thought I could like from their own genre.
We give God what we have from our own walks of life.
And, having received their tunes, I open the files and listen, and then give them feedback on it.
"I don't like that tune, it sends a message of confusion, scattered emotion, lost feelings," and, "I like the tune, but the lyrics are too offensive." In the end, I finally said, "I think I will stick to my positive, encouraging music. It gives me a sense of victory when the song is over."
Then, my youngest son said, "Hey, you know what? At least you gave it a listen. It's all one could ever ask for is an open mind."
God's mind is always open to what we have to say. He may reject what we ask Him to bless, just as I rejected the songs my children offered, but He listens. He takes everything into account. Then He reacts. If what we do is not pleasing to Him, He still gives us free will to do it. He tells us we are wrong, but He gives us the experience of being wrong so we can learn that right is so much better.
After taking into account that they were determined to listen to their own brands of music, and that nothing I could say would change that, I left them to it, truthfully saying, "I love you both no matter what kind of music you listen to."
God loves us all, no matter what kind of music we listen to. But, if you don't listen to HIS music, He isn't going to be there to enjoy it with you, just as I won't be hanging out with my boys with the music up.
Ephesians 5
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
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