1 Peter 3:10-12
“Do you really love life?
Do you want to be happy?
Then stop saying cruel things
and quit telling lies.
Give up your evil ways
and do right,
as you find and follow
the road that leads
The Lord watches over
everyone who obeys him,
and he listens
to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone
who does evil.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Greg
and Timothy were building a “village” out of wooden blocks. Timothy
made some characters out of Legos® that he dubbed “the evil gang.” The
village had several “buildings” created with stacked blocks, and Greg
asked Timothy, “Are you planning on those evil men knocking over these
houses?” Timothy assured him that this was NOT going to happen…that
“These men are just here for a visit.”
Then a building
accidentally fell, and as Greg reached to get it, Timothy said, “Oh,
that’s what ‘we’ were about to do!” Greg looked at Timothy with a
raised eyebrow, and Timothy said, “Oh, we LIED! Hehehe!” And he made
angry, evil voices for the characters. Then he started to laugh and
say, “Oh, my bad!” to indicate that he didn’t mean any harm. It was all
a fun game between a boy and his uncle.
But as I watched this
unfold and listened, I thought about how we act in “real life.” Many of
us “play nice” and pretend to be kind and friendly…but we would just as
soon “mow down” the other guy as look at him. There is emptiness in our
hearts and minds that we try to fill by building ourselves up – often
at the expense of others. We lie, cheat, steal, and tear people
down…and then we often pretend that this was not our intention at all!
Sometimes, we try to brush it all away with a “My bad!” justification.
Sadly, there are also times when we stand by our vicious words and
actions.
Most of us want people to think we are “a nice guy.” If
they only knew that sometimes, our “evil twin” has a way of appearing!
Some people may even come to think of us as a person who is always
negative, angry or disgruntled…or simply a “grump.” Others may think of
us as an out-and-out bully…and maybe some of us are indeed!
We
must understand that our words, actions, and demeanor matter. We have
to make every effort to obey God…to seek His will and operate within His
guidelines. We have to stop and think about what we say and do –
BEFORE it happens. Check your attitude in a “virtual mirror” and make
sure that you are representing God and His goodness. We all know
someone whose very name makes us groan…the thought of them conjures up a
negative attitude - or unloving (if not evil) behavior. Don’t be one
of these people!
Will this be the day that you check your own
heart and mind for an “evil gang” mentality and quit “knocking over”
others? Are you ready to say “NO!” to the devil and His methods - and
live abundantly in the will of God? When others look at you, WHO do
they see…and how will you be remembered?
Fill your heart with
God’s goodness. Work hard to be a positive, pleasant, Spirit-filled
disciple who represents the very best that God offers all of us. You
will be amazed at how this affects every aspect of your life…and the
lives of those around you. I’m betting that God will pour out His favor
on you in a new, more plentiful way, as well. It’s certainly worth a
shot…isn’t it? What are we waiting for?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label disappointing God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disappointing God. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 19, 2016
John 8:6-8
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever been around two little kids who were arguing, and rather than get in the middle of things and settle the conflict, you stood back to see what they could do? There are several reasons to try this (if you can stand it!)…1) the children are allowed to grow and work through their issue; 2) the adult demonstrates how petty and insignificant the “fuss” is; and 3) the adult withholds attention and choosing sides, which is often what the kids are after in the first place.
Here’s how I believe this applies to this scripture passage from John 8...
Additionally, are we busy pleasing Jesus – and serving Him? Or are we more concerned with making ourselves look big and important… or with making sure that everyone knows how good we are, how much we give and do for others, and how pleased God must be with us? Are we busy trying to get Jesus to pick favorites? Because I can assure you that this is a huge waste of time for everyone!
This is a good day to humble ourselves before God and admit that we are nowhere near worthy to “cast the first stone.” We will always be loved unconditionally and incredibly by Jesus…but He will never have a favorite. And we just as well figure that out now and get busy serving out of gratitude rather than any effort to gain extra “points.” We need to quit wasting our time on pettiness and discrimination. We need to stop trying to figure out who is right and wrong and concentrate on sharing the Good News of Jesus and how much He loves each and every one of us…the good, the bad, and the ugly!
We need to stop making excuses, passing judgments, and disparaging/condemning others…and take a long, hard look in the mirror. And we don’t have a minute to waste. Are you ready to drop your rock and fall on your knees in the dirt beside Jesus? Don’t you think it’s time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever been around two little kids who were arguing, and rather than get in the middle of things and settle the conflict, you stood back to see what they could do? There are several reasons to try this (if you can stand it!)…1) the children are allowed to grow and work through their issue; 2) the adult demonstrates how petty and insignificant the “fuss” is; and 3) the adult withholds attention and choosing sides, which is often what the kids are after in the first place.
Here’s how I believe this applies to this scripture passage from John 8...
- Jesus was drawing in the dirt and listening to the religious scholars and Pharisees argue about stoning a woman caught in adultery. By their own behavior, they were acting in an unloving manner. Jesus made no discrepancy among people…He spent time with everyone from religious leaders to murderers, adulterers, lepers and other “undesirables.” He never played favorites or talked down to anyone. By drawing in the dirt, Jesus was essentially saying, “Work it out amongst yourselves.”
- Jesus was also demonstrating how insignificant this argument was to Him…so unimportant that He didn’t even look up from doodling in the sand to give much of a response.
- Jesus did not choose sides. More importantly, He put the problem smack in the laps of those involved and challenged the one who was guiltless to cast the first stone.
Additionally, are we busy pleasing Jesus – and serving Him? Or are we more concerned with making ourselves look big and important… or with making sure that everyone knows how good we are, how much we give and do for others, and how pleased God must be with us? Are we busy trying to get Jesus to pick favorites? Because I can assure you that this is a huge waste of time for everyone!
This is a good day to humble ourselves before God and admit that we are nowhere near worthy to “cast the first stone.” We will always be loved unconditionally and incredibly by Jesus…but He will never have a favorite. And we just as well figure that out now and get busy serving out of gratitude rather than any effort to gain extra “points.” We need to quit wasting our time on pettiness and discrimination. We need to stop trying to figure out who is right and wrong and concentrate on sharing the Good News of Jesus and how much He loves each and every one of us…the good, the bad, and the ugly!
We need to stop making excuses, passing judgments, and disparaging/condemning others…and take a long, hard look in the mirror. And we don’t have a minute to waste. Are you ready to drop your rock and fall on your knees in the dirt beside Jesus? Don’t you think it’s time you were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 15, 2015
Romans 3:21-24
But now God has shown us a different way to heaven — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us —declare us “not guilty”— if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy is often a serious child…and when things don’t go well, he will sometimes ask, “Are you disappointed in me?” And more than once, he has told me, “Aunt Debbie, I’m so disappointed in you” – usually when I tell him “No” about something!
I’m afraid that God is often “so disappointed” in me…like every day at one point or another. And I’ll let you in on a little secret…He’s disappointed in you, too! Feeling a little “disappointed” now? I know I am…along with embarrassed, frustrated - and a healthy dose of “why can’t I get it right?”!
Hear the words of Romans 3:23…”all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.” Now hear the GREATER news that follows…”yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.” So while we disappoint God often, He still loves us and forgives us. We must strive to get it right…to do better…to please Him. We should want to do this! But the times that we fall short…God is still there.
When children disappoint us or misbehave, we may detach from them for a few minutes. There may be a “time out” involved in which we do not communicate. Or if the child is angry or upset with us, he/she may walk away and ignore us momentarily. But this is usually short lived. And while we may feel like God has left us for a while, the truth is that He never leaves us. He may let us simmer in our misgivings for a bit, but He is right there whenever we are ready to make things right and try again.
So today as you go about your routine, remind yourself often that God is with you…that He loves you more than you can ever imagine – much less deserve. Remember that the only thing you could ever do to disappoint God irreparably is to deny Him completely…and even then, He would fight tooth and nail to remain in your life! Doesn’t that kind of love make you want to do all you can to please Him? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
But now God has shown us a different way to heaven — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us —declare us “not guilty”— if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy is often a serious child…and when things don’t go well, he will sometimes ask, “Are you disappointed in me?” And more than once, he has told me, “Aunt Debbie, I’m so disappointed in you” – usually when I tell him “No” about something!
I’m afraid that God is often “so disappointed” in me…like every day at one point or another. And I’ll let you in on a little secret…He’s disappointed in you, too! Feeling a little “disappointed” now? I know I am…along with embarrassed, frustrated - and a healthy dose of “why can’t I get it right?”!
Hear the words of Romans 3:23…”all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.” Now hear the GREATER news that follows…”yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.” So while we disappoint God often, He still loves us and forgives us. We must strive to get it right…to do better…to please Him. We should want to do this! But the times that we fall short…God is still there.
When children disappoint us or misbehave, we may detach from them for a few minutes. There may be a “time out” involved in which we do not communicate. Or if the child is angry or upset with us, he/she may walk away and ignore us momentarily. But this is usually short lived. And while we may feel like God has left us for a while, the truth is that He never leaves us. He may let us simmer in our misgivings for a bit, but He is right there whenever we are ready to make things right and try again.
So today as you go about your routine, remind yourself often that God is with you…that He loves you more than you can ever imagine – much less deserve. Remember that the only thing you could ever do to disappoint God irreparably is to deny Him completely…and even then, He would fight tooth and nail to remain in your life! Doesn’t that kind of love make you want to do all you can to please Him? Will this be the day that you begin?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 15, 2014
2 Samuel 24:14
“This is a hard decision,” David replied, “but it is better to fall into the hand of the Lord (for his mercy is great) than into the hands of men.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“I made a mistake.” “My bad.”
“I shouldn’t have said/done that.” “I messed up.”
“That was wrong of me.” “It was my fault.”
“I wish I could take that back.” “I was wrong.”
“May I have a second chance?” “I’m sorry.”
We’ve all uttered at least one (and probably ALL) of these phrases at one time or another. But that doesn’t mean we liked it! We often find it hard to admit that we were mistaken or made a mess of things. It’s embarrassing…sometimes shameful. And often, there are consequences.
In this chapter of 2 Samuel, we learn about a really poor choice that David made. He sent representatives to take a census…to number (count) the people of Israel. He specifically wanted to know how many men were of conscription age – old enough to join his army. God had not sanctioned any of this…He had not told David to do this. In fact, David knew that God was not in favor of such a show of human strength. Bottom line…David just wanted to brag about how many men he had available for war. And God was not the least bit pleased.
So God offered David three choices…7 years of famine, three months on the run from his enemies, or three days of plague. David chose the three days of plague, and 70,000 people lost their lives as a result. God could have allowed even a larger number of people to die, but He had mercy before the three days was up and ordered the death angel to retreat. The people of Jerusalem were spared.
I don’t know about you, but if God offered me those same three choices, I would be tempted to answer, “None of the above!” There was no good option for David. But notice that he responded that any punishment from a merciful God would be far better than the consequences of man. David had no clue that God would spare Jerusalem or lighten the punishment. But he trusted that God would be fair and just, no matter what.
I believe that the treatment David received from God in this instance made Him a better man and taught him priceless lessons about how to behave in the future…toward God AND toward his fellow man. We can take these lessons to heart, as well…
God could have just taken David out and washed His hands of him and his antics. But He didn’t…and He won’t do this with us, either. How will we respond to this much love, grace and mercy? How will you share these gifts with others?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“This is a hard decision,” David replied, “but it is better to fall into the hand of the Lord (for his mercy is great) than into the hands of men.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“I made a mistake.” “My bad.”
“I shouldn’t have said/done that.” “I messed up.”
“That was wrong of me.” “It was my fault.”
“I wish I could take that back.” “I was wrong.”
“May I have a second chance?” “I’m sorry.”
We’ve all uttered at least one (and probably ALL) of these phrases at one time or another. But that doesn’t mean we liked it! We often find it hard to admit that we were mistaken or made a mess of things. It’s embarrassing…sometimes shameful. And often, there are consequences.
In this chapter of 2 Samuel, we learn about a really poor choice that David made. He sent representatives to take a census…to number (count) the people of Israel. He specifically wanted to know how many men were of conscription age – old enough to join his army. God had not sanctioned any of this…He had not told David to do this. In fact, David knew that God was not in favor of such a show of human strength. Bottom line…David just wanted to brag about how many men he had available for war. And God was not the least bit pleased.
So God offered David three choices…7 years of famine, three months on the run from his enemies, or three days of plague. David chose the three days of plague, and 70,000 people lost their lives as a result. God could have allowed even a larger number of people to die, but He had mercy before the three days was up and ordered the death angel to retreat. The people of Jerusalem were spared.
I don’t know about you, but if God offered me those same three choices, I would be tempted to answer, “None of the above!” There was no good option for David. But notice that he responded that any punishment from a merciful God would be far better than the consequences of man. David had no clue that God would spare Jerusalem or lighten the punishment. But he trusted that God would be fair and just, no matter what.
I believe that the treatment David received from God in this instance made Him a better man and taught him priceless lessons about how to behave in the future…toward God AND toward his fellow man. We can take these lessons to heart, as well…
- We need to question our motives. Are we making a choice because this is what we want…or are we certain that God agrees and sanctions this decision?
- When we make a mistake, we need to own it…and do whatever is necessary to make things right as quickly as possible.
- Staying in tune with God will help to ensure that we don’t make mistakes…but when we do, we need to be prepared to accept the consequences. We must trust that God will never desert us - even while we suffer for our sins - and that He will help us through these times with grace and mercy.
- We must offer others that same grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. People will offend us…they will make mistakes that affect us in ways great and small. And when they own these wrongdoings and admit them, we must be prepared to offer them the same love and fair treatment that God offers us when we sin against Him.
God could have just taken David out and washed His hands of him and his antics. But He didn’t…and He won’t do this with us, either. How will we respond to this much love, grace and mercy? How will you share these gifts with others?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 28, 2013
June 28 ~ Hebrews 12:4-11
None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children,
“When the Lord punishes you, don’t make light of it, and when he corrects you, don’t be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.”
Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
As I tucked Timothy into bed one recent night, he said, “Tell me a story.” So I told him the story of “The Three Little Bears.” Then he said, “Tell me another story. I asked, “What story would you like to hear?” He replied… “Tell me the story of how we have to listen to GOD… and how those people ate the fruit of the tree and got into trouble.” So I gave him my best “four-year-old version” of the story of Adam and Eve and their sin in the Garden of Eden. When I finished, Timothy whispered dramatically… “God was SO disappointed.” I agreed and reminded him that yes, God is disappointed when we don’t listen to Him… that we must obey Him and do what He says.
I also pointed out that God wants us to listen to our parents, our aunts and uncles… and to be nice to our brothers, sisters, and friends. Timothy said, “We don’t want to disappoint God!” I agreed again. Then I asked him, “Did you know you can talk to God? We call it praying… we say our prayers and talk to God – and He talks to us!” We discussed some prayer books I have bought him in the past… Timothy calls them his “God books”… and how our prayers are the time we thank God for everything He has given us – and we ask Him to help us be good listeners. I offered… “Would you like for me to talk to God for you now?” Timothy nodded yes.
So I prayed a simple prayer. I thanked God for Timothy…his sister Zola, who was sleeping in another bed nearby…his brother Nathan…his mom and dad… and all of the people who love him. I thanked God for giving us grass and trees and fruit and everything we have… and I asked Him to help us – especially Timothy – be good listeners. When I finished, Timothy said, “I don’t want to disappoint God!” I told him that God is not disappointed with him… that God loves him. “And as long as you listen to God and do what He says,” I continued, “God will be very happy.” I also told him that sometimes we all fail to listen to God… and when that happens, we should tell God we are sorry.
Timothy asked, “Would you say that talk to God again?” I clarified, “You want me to talk to God again for you?” He replied, “Yes… tell Him I’m sorry when I disappoint Him.” Trying to hold it together, I prayed once again and thanked God for all of His good gifts… and I told Him that Timothy really wants to listen, but sometimes he forgets… and he is sorry.” Then I reminded Timothy how very much God loves him. “God is not disappointed with you,” I assured him as we snuggled. You make Him very happy… and as long as you do your best to listen to Him and are really sorry when you forget, He will not be disappointed. God will ALWAYS love you.
This amazing little four-year-old boy looked up at me, grinned, and said, “Okay… GOOD NIGHT!” And he rolled over and drifted off to sleep. If you knew our “history,” you would know that this is a child who didn’t go to sleep many nights of his first three years without a major battle… and then he was plagued with “night terrors” – almost nightly disruptions in his sleep that left him screaming for sometimes as much as an hour before he could settle back into a restful pattern. To see him drift off to sleep with such peace gives me a relief I cannot verbalize. To know that he went to sleep with peace in his heart about his relationship to God – and such a depth of wisdom and understanding – gives me a joy beyond description.
It seems like the older we get, the more we lose our “child-like wonder and understanding” of God’s love for us and what He requires in return… and we also lose much of our peace. While the “hows and whys” of our relationship and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins are incredibly complicated…the basic tenets are fairly simple. Listen to God…deeply desire to please Him…accept that there will be times when we fall short… be ready to apologize and ask for forgiveness… and above all, remember that God loves us and calls us His own.
I encourage you to take some time to meditate on these principles…to talk with God and discover where you have overcomplicated and cluttered your relationship with things that truly are not of significance – or benefit. Have you created much of your own inner turmoil and anxiety by making your Christian faith far more difficult and complex than God ever intended? Isn’t it time you came back to the purity and simplicity of a four-year-old who doesn’t want to disappoint God? Will this be the night you sleep in peace and assurance that God loves you and has forgiven you for “not listening?” Isn’t it your turn to have a bedtime talk with God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God’s children,
“When the Lord punishes you, don’t make light of it, and when he corrects you, don’t be discouraged. The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own.”
Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
As I tucked Timothy into bed one recent night, he said, “Tell me a story.” So I told him the story of “The Three Little Bears.” Then he said, “Tell me another story. I asked, “What story would you like to hear?” He replied… “Tell me the story of how we have to listen to GOD… and how those people ate the fruit of the tree and got into trouble.” So I gave him my best “four-year-old version” of the story of Adam and Eve and their sin in the Garden of Eden. When I finished, Timothy whispered dramatically… “God was SO disappointed.” I agreed and reminded him that yes, God is disappointed when we don’t listen to Him… that we must obey Him and do what He says.
I also pointed out that God wants us to listen to our parents, our aunts and uncles… and to be nice to our brothers, sisters, and friends. Timothy said, “We don’t want to disappoint God!” I agreed again. Then I asked him, “Did you know you can talk to God? We call it praying… we say our prayers and talk to God – and He talks to us!” We discussed some prayer books I have bought him in the past… Timothy calls them his “God books”… and how our prayers are the time we thank God for everything He has given us – and we ask Him to help us be good listeners. I offered… “Would you like for me to talk to God for you now?” Timothy nodded yes.
So I prayed a simple prayer. I thanked God for Timothy…his sister Zola, who was sleeping in another bed nearby…his brother Nathan…his mom and dad… and all of the people who love him. I thanked God for giving us grass and trees and fruit and everything we have… and I asked Him to help us – especially Timothy – be good listeners. When I finished, Timothy said, “I don’t want to disappoint God!” I told him that God is not disappointed with him… that God loves him. “And as long as you listen to God and do what He says,” I continued, “God will be very happy.” I also told him that sometimes we all fail to listen to God… and when that happens, we should tell God we are sorry.
Timothy asked, “Would you say that talk to God again?” I clarified, “You want me to talk to God again for you?” He replied, “Yes… tell Him I’m sorry when I disappoint Him.” Trying to hold it together, I prayed once again and thanked God for all of His good gifts… and I told Him that Timothy really wants to listen, but sometimes he forgets… and he is sorry.” Then I reminded Timothy how very much God loves him. “God is not disappointed with you,” I assured him as we snuggled. You make Him very happy… and as long as you do your best to listen to Him and are really sorry when you forget, He will not be disappointed. God will ALWAYS love you.
This amazing little four-year-old boy looked up at me, grinned, and said, “Okay… GOOD NIGHT!” And he rolled over and drifted off to sleep. If you knew our “history,” you would know that this is a child who didn’t go to sleep many nights of his first three years without a major battle… and then he was plagued with “night terrors” – almost nightly disruptions in his sleep that left him screaming for sometimes as much as an hour before he could settle back into a restful pattern. To see him drift off to sleep with such peace gives me a relief I cannot verbalize. To know that he went to sleep with peace in his heart about his relationship to God – and such a depth of wisdom and understanding – gives me a joy beyond description.
It seems like the older we get, the more we lose our “child-like wonder and understanding” of God’s love for us and what He requires in return… and we also lose much of our peace. While the “hows and whys” of our relationship and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins are incredibly complicated…the basic tenets are fairly simple. Listen to God…deeply desire to please Him…accept that there will be times when we fall short… be ready to apologize and ask for forgiveness… and above all, remember that God loves us and calls us His own.
I encourage you to take some time to meditate on these principles…to talk with God and discover where you have overcomplicated and cluttered your relationship with things that truly are not of significance – or benefit. Have you created much of your own inner turmoil and anxiety by making your Christian faith far more difficult and complex than God ever intended? Isn’t it time you came back to the purity and simplicity of a four-year-old who doesn’t want to disappoint God? Will this be the night you sleep in peace and assurance that God loves you and has forgiven you for “not listening?” Isn’t it your turn to have a bedtime talk with God?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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