Pleasing Our Father

As parents we often have unrealistic goals for all of our children. We want each one of them to succeed in scholarship, sports, social status and personal relationships.

We may want them to succeed in an area in which we failed or were not allowed to participate. This activity may not even interest them by any stretch of the imagination; however, we push them to excel where we could not.

However, no two people are ever alike. God created each of us with our own bent toward the gifts and talents, which He equipped us with in order to walk in His will (Ephesians 2:10).

To force our child to play ball rather than to follow the desire to read, to read and listen to classical music in place of playing in a rock band, or to sculpt and draw instead of butting heads with a quarterback is thwarting God's purpose for their life.

We may have an ancestral home or family business that we cannot wait to share with our progeny, when in reality God is calling them to the far reaches of the world as missionaries.

Our dream may include our child studying as a doctor or lawyer, in order to have the financial means for their family that we were not able to provide for ours.

However, our children are just on loan to us from our Heavenly Father and His will for them is much better than our desires for them will ever be.

God does call us as faithful stewards over our children's lives, to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), to give them a solid foundation in God's Word (Deuteronomy 11:19) and to teach them by our example to walk in God's Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Prayer:

Father God, You do not care about how much we do for You, because You desire that we walk in Your Spirit. You do not want us to depend on our good works to earn a place in heaven, because You already reserved a place for us through Christ's sacrifice.

In order to please You, all we need to do is have faith in Your faithfulness (Hebrews 11:6). You created us with a purpose and desire for nothing more from us or our children than to walk in Your will for our life.

Thought for the Day:

As children of our Father God, we please Him by obeying His Word in total surrender to His will for our life.

Growing Weary

If we live an honorable life, God will use it to silence the foolish accusations, which ignorant people make against us (1 Peter 2:15-16). We know the truth that will set them free, but they do not want to hear it. They label us as intolerant for insisting that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Do you ever get weary of witnessing to people who will not listen? I recently grew weary and prayed about what to do.

The Lord reminded me that when we plant a seed in a garden, it takes a great deal of work and care before we reap the fruit. We rope off an area, remove the weeds and till the soil into rows. We fertilize the soil and then plant the seeds. It takes weeks for the plants to sprout and then a few months before the plants produce any fruit. We continue to water, pull weeds and keep the plants safe from obstacles to their growth. Yet, only God can give the increase.

The Lord pointed out to me that witnessing takes the same care and labor of love as gardening. A one time or another, we are tilling the ground, or planting a seed, or watering; however, only God gives the spiritual increase too, and only a few can actually harvest (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). This gave me the faith to continue sharing Christ with everyone around me. If we do not give up, we will eventually reap a plentiful harvest in God’s timing (Galatians 6:9). God resists the proud, but has mercy and gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).

God calls everyone to take part in His gardening process. If we liberally sow God’s truth in the lives of our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors, we will reap a hearty harvest; however if we sow stingily, we will reap sparingly (2 Corinthians 9:6). We are not obligated to share God Truth with anyone; but as a good steward, we cannot help but invest in God’s Kingdom, which brings us His rewards (Matthew 25:14-30).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us not to become weary of working in Your Kingdom, because You promise that we will reap a harvest if we keep on sowing (Galatians 6:7). Help us to follow Your gardening laws. Give us the wisdom and strength to continue with patience as we ready the ground, fertilize and water, plant the seeds, and then wait for You to give us the harvest. We know that You do not desire that anyone should die in their sin, but that everyone should come to know You in an intimate, personal relationship (2 Peter 3:9).

Thought for the Day:

God gives us His grace to allow Jesus to accomplish His work in and through us (2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 2:10).