Saturday, February 06, 2010

Keep your hands to yourself

Our sweet baby, Giovanni, is no longer a baby really. He is 3 1/2 now. He has developed a habit of doing things intentionally, that he knows is wrong, and then say "sorry!" Although we are quick to forgive him, I have been considering how to correct him. In His mercy, God stepped in, and in the process, helped me understand too.

The other day, Gio hit our dog, KC, and then before he could say "sorry" to KC, he nipped at Gio. Gio, who was standing next to me at the time, looked at me with big sad eyes, holding his hand. And I said to Gio, "You should not hit KC, because he will bite you."

That nailed it for me. Obeying God is not about anything else but our good and protection.

It it not about getting into heaven. Jesus has paid the entire price for our sins. God does forgive us every time.

It is not about getting God to love us. God loves us because He is love, not because we are lovable.

It is not about our witness. The world is not impressed by our perfection. It is drawn to God by our love.

It is not about God's ability to use us. God delights in using broken vessels. Check scripture. All who are used by God are imperfect. This shows God's power.

God gives direction for our good, for our protection, for life and peace. And we get to choose. By our choice we demonstrate our trust of Him.

The world will bite us, so keep your hands to yourself.

Jeremiah 17

5
This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."