Harper has a favorite thing to say when she gets in trouble.......she will cry anytime we get on to her and say "Don't talk that way to me". She has heard me say probably way too many times when she gets sassy or talks back to me and I will tell her "Harper - you don't talk that way to me." Only she has taken it more as her motto and anytime she feel she is being paid an injustice - she will cry and say things like "Daddy/Mommy talked that way to me".
We also have baby gates in parts of our house to keep the girls herded more in the family room/kitchen part of my house. When they get out of my sight - it's usually not a good thing so I keep them gated in with me most of the time. But OH how they love to push that boundary and try to sneak the gate down and run for freedom any chance they get. It's a constant battle of wills.
We laugh about it but I was thinking how often I feel that way with God. He gently disciplines me or tries to guide me to obey Him and I don't like it. Like a toddler, I will often say to God "Don't talk that way to me". There are many things I read in the Bible or feel convicted of that I know I should be doing but I kind of stomp my feet and like a child testing my boundaries - take the gate down and do as I please despite what I know is right.
The "in" thing right now is to say that the Bible is an old book. That many of the commands God gave don't apply to our modern world. I can understand that thought. I feel like sometimes we "pick" verses we feel strongly about but don't care too much about some of the others. I believe the Bible is the inherent word of God - that EVERY word is true. Today, yesterday and tomorrow. TRUTH. Do I live by every single verse and abide by every word? No. I can't imagine any person alive who does. Trust me - I'm super human and the WORST of sinners. I can't judge anyone's sin when I can't see past my own.
I do feel like God is guiding me to take my faith to another level. I need to put more focus on Him and less on the world. And that's tough. There are things I want to hang on to. I want people to like me. Sometimes I'm proud if people call me a "Jesus freak" - because I am. But sometimes I want to hide and avoid the controversy. Like during the next few months when hate seems to escalate over choices and beliefs. This isn't a post about politics. This blog will never be about politics. But there is one choice I will always be proud of - to follow Jesus Christ.
I want Jesus to be proud of me saying "yes" and "thank you" when He asks - just like I am with Harper when she does the same. I want to answer the call to follow Him - no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
This world is NOT my home. I'm half way through my time here. I will live a WHOLE lot longer in my Heavenly home and I want to please my Father there. Our pastor often talks about how people are so much more worried about retirement than eternity and asks us what we are doing to plan for our eternity? What are we doing now that is eternal? I'd rather have a few people here not like me than get to Heaven and regret not sharing the love of Jesus with the people that crossed my path. I'd rather share a meal with you at the banqueting table of Jesus one day than here on earth.
Do you know Him? Do you know you have a home in heaven?
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:1-6
