God is an example to us of a good parent and grandparent. Even when we, as His adopted children, are adults, He still wants us to come to Him as trusting, dependent "little ones" (Matthew 18:3-4). I love being childishly dependent on our Father God. This attitude takes all the stress out of our life.
He never wants anyone or any distraction to keep us from coming to Him as a reliant child. He desires for us to heed the Gospel of Jesus Christ and come into His Kingdom as a needy and trusting youngster (Mark 10:13-16). Even in times of tribulation, we take heart, because we find our peace in Him (John 16:33).
It is our choice to make, with our God-given free will, to have spiritual life or death both now and throughout eternity; and to decide on enjoying blessings or enduring troublesome burdens because of our preferences during our lifetime (John 3:18; Deuteronomy 30:19).
In Christ, we are a new creation. Our old habits, hang-ups and sinful practices fade as our new identity in Christ emerges (2 Corinthians 5:17). We prove our love for Him by keeping His Word, and we reap the love of the Father, because the Trinity makes a home in us (John 14:23).
A blessed life entails us humbling our self, totally surrendering our life to Him, and trusting in Him with our whole heart (Matthew 18:1-35). When we do honor Him with our life, He calls us His children (1 John 3:1), and we enjoy all of the amenities of living as His child.
Sure, we suffer at times, because the rain falls on both the just and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). However, God walks with us, in us, and surrounds us through every positive and negative aspect in our life. He floods our soul with His peace and joy each moment of every day, so that we emerge from these issues as victors and not as victims.
Prayer:
Father God, Your love for us makes it easy to endure persecution in this world. Help us to have this same love for the people that You put into our life. Teach us to relate to one another with patience, kindness, humility, compassion, and understanding. We prefer one another, care about each other, and are genuinely happy for one another’s successes rather than envious or resentful (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).
Help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to bring Him glory through our choices, thoughts, words and lifestyle both now and in the day that our eternity in Your presence begins (2 Peter 3:18). As we abide in Your love, our relationship with You makes us rejoice with joy and to fill with the hope of sharing in Your glorious home throughout eternity (Romans 6:23; 1 Peter 1:8).
Thought for the Day:
God loves us all so much that He placed the sin of each individual person throughout every past, current, and future generation on His only begotten Son’s head – removing His presence from Jesus for our sake as He paid the penalty of our transgressions; so that we do not have to live in the damnation of hell for eternity, but instead to join His Trinity in enjoying the fruit of His labors forever and ever.
- John 3:16-17
