If you are a Christian...and you were to commit some huge huge sin like say...cheat on your spouse…once you really came to grips with what you'd done…what would you do? Would you pray for God to forgive you and...help you fix what you've done?
If you got yourself hooked on drugs instead of hooked on phonics ;) would you pray to God to help you be relieved of your addiction or help you survive withdraw?
If you killed someone by drinking and driving or texting while driving (just any preventable irresponsible driving) would you pray to God for mercy with the court? For merciful sentencing? For peace for the affected families? Would you pray for favor in jail and to not be beaten up or abused by others?
Basically, if you really really messed up...would you run to God and beg Him to comfort you, help you fix your mess, and relieve you of some of the possible consequences of your error? Or, would you run from Him and expect Him to strike you with a lightning bolt and make your life worse and hurt you for what you've done?
We run to "the shelter of your wings" (Psalm 61:5) for protection, don't we?
We run to "the shelter of your wings" (Psalm 61:5) for protection, don't we?
We run to Him.
He doesn't hurt us...sin does.
He doesn't punish us...sin does.
We know running from Him only leads us into more trouble and is likely what got us into trouble in the first place!
So, as a Christian parent…your desire is to parent as God does...right?
How much like God are you?
Does your child mess up and...run to you seeking help fixing their mess? Do they look to you right away for forgiveness? Do they come to you to find relief from the consequences of what they've done?
Or, do they run and hide from you? Do they do everything they can to keep you from knowing what they've done because now they're "in trouble?" Are they even able to think about the consequences of what they've done because they only thing on their mind is their fear of your wrath and the pain you are going to inflict on them because of what they've done?
To parent like God...your child should look to you for relief, protection, salvation from their sins...and if they "fear" you they only do so because they observe your "great and awesome power" to fix any problem...
They should "fear" (or stand in awe of) you because of your power over anything that attempts to hurt them even when they have caused it themselves...
They should never fear you because your power over them threatens to hurt them...because if they fear pain coming from you they have lost protection...your wings have become a source of pain and not shelter...and if they run from you...they will also run from God...and then they'll really be "in trouble..."
How much like God are you?
Does your child mess up and...run to you seeking help fixing their mess? Do they look to you right away for forgiveness? Do they come to you to find relief from the consequences of what they've done?
Or, do they run and hide from you? Do they do everything they can to keep you from knowing what they've done because now they're "in trouble?" Are they even able to think about the consequences of what they've done because they only thing on their mind is their fear of your wrath and the pain you are going to inflict on them because of what they've done?
To parent like God...your child should look to you for relief, protection, salvation from their sins...and if they "fear" you they only do so because they observe your "great and awesome power" to fix any problem...
They should "fear" (or stand in awe of) you because of your power over anything that attempts to hurt them even when they have caused it themselves...
They should never fear you because your power over them threatens to hurt them...because if they fear pain coming from you they have lost protection...your wings have become a source of pain and not shelter...and if they run from you...they will also run from God...and then they'll really be "in trouble..."
July 2004
2 weeks after bringing home our new Toyota Hiace Mini-van...
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Oh, no! I should have put this 5 gal. bucket of latex paint away. Why'd I leave it in the driveway. Oh geez...I wonder who did this?
Ugh, oh! This can't be good...
Hi, Josh! So, what have you been doing???
Good thing this is latex paint!!!
Oh, and I see you've been playing with the dog, too, Josh.
That's nice!!
