How Soon We Forget
When I was just a small child I loved to sit on my Daddy’s lap, and listen to what he had to say. I was one of the blessed children because he was loving, kind and understanding. Being obedient was easy for me because my desire was to please him. I loved him deeply and never wanted to make him sad.
Once a teenager though, I had ideas that did not always agree with my sweet Daddy. I wasn’t outwardly rebellious, but sometimes sneaky and quietly disobedient. He was seldom suspicious of me, at least not to my knowledge. While I didn’t get into the worldly things available such as drinking, sex, and drugs, I still sometimes told, what I considered, “white lies.” That gave me opportunity to stay out later and sometimes just have my own way. Had he known that his darling daughter was not quite the “little angel” that she appeared to be, I’m sure our relationship would not have been so intimate — no fault of my Dad, but certainly mine. His love would have held steady, but there would have been a change in our intimacy as father and daughter.
Our heavenly Father is the God who sees everything. He is El Roi —- the God who sees us (see Genesis 16). It’s my understanding that Hagar was the first to call God by that name. He is our personal El Roi. Knowing this truth will bring peace when we are living in obedience to the Word of God. Otherwise this knowledge can bring about fear, and we may hide from God just like Adam and Eve.
Many Christians feel that it is ok to keep one foot in the world and the other foot in the Kingdom of God. That stance simply brings about a condition of being lukewarm towards the Lord. “But since you are like luke warm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:16 NLT)!
I love to share the wonderful promises of God that we find in God’s Word. My personal life centers upon the precious promises of God. Sometimes we neglect to remember that the Word also speaks of accountability on our part. We claim the promises of God and oft-times forget that they have conditions attached to them. It’s not like going to the casino (which I don’t do) and pulling the handle on the slot machine, and winning the money. God has not provided a life style of chance for us. Our lives are not connected to “good luck.”
Our heavenly Father has provided a clear guide — operator’s manual — laws by which we can choose to live or not live by. When we “sit on our Father’s lap” — when we desire with all of our heart to live according to his regulations — we will be able to reach out and take unto ourselves all of the promises of God. God in His mercy still blesses us when we do not deserve it. He is a good Father to all of His creation. But why, if we love Him with all of our heart, would we want to “play games” with His blessings?
For the Christian though, we must decide to live to please Him first. It is our choice. I think it really comes down to this —- do we love Almighty God enough to resolve to live according to His ways or our own ways? Now that I’m a Christian I certainly can’t live with my former teenage thought patterns. Well, I’ll correct that statement —- I can choose to live my way. What a sweet, faithful, and wonderful Father we have! He gives us opportunity to choose. He is long-suffering with us and merciful, but let’s never choose to take advantage of this. There will come a day when —- well — you can fill in the blanks.
“Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of Your Word gives light, so even the simple can understand” (Psalms 119:129,130 NLT). ”I pray with all my heart; answer me, LORD! I will obey Your decrees” (Psalm 119:145 NLT). ”LORD, how great is Your mercy; let me be revived by following Your regulations” (Psalm 119:149). “Look upon my suffering, and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your instructions. Argue my case, take my side! Protect my life as You have promised” (Psalm 119:153-154 NLT). I’m impressed to notice the emphasis upon the pleas for help, and the references to remembering personal accountability. Over and over the thought is repeated about following God’s regulations and instructions. Surely God has not changed His mind just for this generation of believers! The key verse in Psalm 91 NKJ, (the Psalm of protection) is found in verse 14. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him…”
Great and Mighty and full of Love is our Heavenly Father! He has given us great and precious promises —- all recorded in the Bible — His love letter to us. Will we try to “win” the promises by sneaky ways, or will we choose to walk in the pathway that He has provided for us? How soon we tend to forget that serving God is not all about what we can get out of Him for our personal likes and dislikes. The message of the Gospel is all about God’s love and His forgiveness of our sins. Through the blood of Jesus we are reconciled unto God. Once we are born-again Christians we are to follow the path of Jesus Christ. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).
Jesus made it very clear when He said the following: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘if any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me’ (Matthew 16:24 NLT). We all need to seek the Lord regarding our personal relationship with him. Have we forgotten our first love for our Lord? Have we become luke warm in our outlook concerning the message and life of salvation? I believe that Jesus is coming very soon, and we must not forget the seriousness of serving Him. Remember that in staying close, and sitting on the lap of Jesus, with our spiritual ears close to His heart, we will hear the rhythm of the heart of God.
