I went back to college when my youngest was 4. I felt guilty about leaving him home with Dad. He said, “Don’t feel bad, Mommy. While you’re gone Daddy and I put our feet on the coffee table like you don’t let us, eat pizza and have burping contests.”
Me: Dear God . . .
God: It is good.
And it was.
Trust Oswald Chambers for an intriguing thought:
“Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house?
Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me?“
My Utmost for His Highest (Aug 7)
Is this world my home? Or is my real home with God?
You know the story about Jesus, age 12, left behind in Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph found him in the Temple.
Luke 2:48-49 (NIV)
His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
Did Joseph hear it as, “I had to be in my real father‘s house?” (I’ve had a child say, “You’re not my real mom;” it hurt). Did Joseph cringe? Weep? Or rejoice?
Parent, do you rejoice when your child has a real relationship with God the Father?
Yesterday was Father’s Day. Our culture sends out some mixed messages about fathers.
God thought so highly of fathers that he made sure his son had one. Thus Joseph is a central figure in the Christmas story.
Who says that fathers matter? God. And He knows whereof He speaks.
From Shine, Jesus, Shine (Graham Kendrick, 1987):
“As we gaze on your kingly brightness,
So our faces display your likeness,
ever changing from glory to glory.
Mirrored here, may our lives tell your story.“
Changing from glory to glory . . . it doesn’t get better than that!
Just about 20 years ago, our son came home from church camp and declared, “I want to be a disciple.”
I want to . . .
. . . follow Jesus.
I want to pray, study the Word, tell others. I want to obey. I want to live for God’s glory.
So simple, an 8 year old could figure it out. And he did.
Matthew 18:3 (NLT)
I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
God passes out new assignments, unexpected assignments.
One of mine started with a simple desire to play the recorder. The simplicity appealed to me, plain wood with no moving parts. I mentioned it to my husband, and a recorder showed up at Christmas with my name on it.
I taught myself to play. It was fun. Till the organist didn’t show up for church one Sunday.
God: You can play the recorder.
Me: I can’t. But I did. It wasn’t fun.
I’ve done it many times. It isn’t scary any more. It’s almost fun.
God’s plan isn’t about what you can’t do; it is all about what you can do. True, you can’t do it all. But you are created to do many things, and to do them well.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Remember the parable of the talents? Don’t bury yours. Say with confidence, “I can, Lord. And I will.”
Which magazine is most likely to feature you on the cover?
For me, “none of the above.” For me, it would be Never Enough Money, Average Housekeeping, Adequate Appetit, Not So Fair and Physically Pffffttt.
It is easy to focus on “what I am not.”
That is the enemy’s trap. The important thing is who I am.
Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
I am God’s good creation. You too. We are . . . wonderful.
