It has been quite a week in the news, prep for MHQ, and celebrating birthdays.
I have been busy putting together my local tournament this week, even though it isn’t until January 5. There is a lot of work that goes into doing a tournament, and even though this will be my 13th year, it doesn’t get that much easier. I am so grateful for all of my parents pitching in. Those of you who are TDs know the value of this help. We also have MinistrySafe to go through now as well. And though this is necessary, it is unfortunate that we live in a time that we have to be so watchful for these sorts of things. Sin sure does take its toll on our lives.
Speaking of which, my heart is getting so heavy with all of the news of more and more moms taking the lives of their own children. But, as my wife reminded me, if moms are okay with abortion, taking the lives of their toddlers, pre-teens, and teenagers is only the natural degradation of this process. But the outright support for this cruelty from so many other women is also very disheartening. It appears that God is truly giving our nation over to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. This is nothing new and is just another way to worship the gods of Molech and Chemosh through sacrificing children. God help us.
This is even more close to my heart as my granddaughter had her first birthday this past weekend. What a precious life she is. Time sure went fast. I look back on when we had our first child, and how long it seemed to take for all of those milestones of crawling, walking, talking, etc. Norah is taking her first steps, and it is so exciting to see. My grandson, Ryland, is hot on her heals too, with his first birthday coming in December. If I had known how much fun grandkids would be, I would have treated their parents better.
I am reading through the major prophets now and am in Jeremiah. Israel and Judah were at this time beyond repentance, at least for the time being. God was even telling them that if they would turn to Him right then, He would keep them from captivity, but they were so steeped in their idolatry, there was really no turning. So, off to captivity they went. Jeremiah saw what could have been. He saw what Israel and Judah were supposed to be and what they were, and he at times could only weep. I feel that about our country at times. But I also know that no country but the Kingdom of God will last, and whatever God has in store for the USA, it will not ultimately affect our eternal destiny. In that, we alone as Christians have true hope. And just as God brought back Israel and Judah from captivity, we know that when Jesus comes again, all will be restored, all will be made right, and we will get new bodies that will not be affected by sin. What a great day that will be. But for now, we must seek to do the good works that God has prepared for us to walk in.
It all starts with learning to crawl, then to walk, then to run. I see my grandkids and the absolute love their parents have for them, and I see an illustration for us and our Heavenly Father.
As Tanner, Norah’s dad, puts Norah on these little rubbery things we call legs, he says to her in a language she does not yet quite understand, “Come to daddy.” She smiles and lifts a leg and falls down. And then Tanner goes to her baby book and writes, “So disappointed. She fell down again!” OF COURSE NOT. He keeps trying this over and over, and then when she takes a step, they all clap and cheer, and write in her book, “TOOK HER FIRST STEP!” They will record the day and time, and then keep working with her until she becomes more and more stable. And they will lovingly chase her and she will run and laugh as they scoop her up and give her kisses and raspberries. And Norah comes to trust wholly in her mom and dad. It is a childlike trust, but it is complete and total.
And isn’t that what our Heavenly Father does too? When we were first born again, we were called babies in Christ. We were put on our new spiritual rubbery legs and told in a language we didn’t quite understand, “Come to Abba!” Ad we would try and fall flat on our face. But God doesn’t run to our book and write, “Fell down again!!!” NO! He keeps working on us and when we take our first step, He writes in our book, “Took First Step!!!” And He rewards us. This is our God. He loves us beyond measure. And He didn’t create us to fail, but to succeed in the things He prepared for us to do.
Do you know who you are? Think about this. God can do anything, right? He could have had you born at any time, any place, to any family. But you were born in this time, in this place, to your family. This was not a mistake, but was the plan and purpose of God Himself. You are not a mistake, you are never alone, never without purpose. The perfect God and Artist put you together at just the right time, place, and family to accomplish what He designed you to do.
I ask again. Do you know who you are? You are God’s workmanship. You are His kid, and He loves you without limit. We can look around and see what could have been and get depressed, or we can look and see what IS and be grateful and hopeful. And I know that I can really get down on the state of things in the world today, but I choose to remain optimistic because I know who I am, and more importantly, Whose I am. I look at my kids and my grandkids and I feel the absolute love I have for them just because of who they are, and I know that my love is imperfect. And then I consider the love of God that passes all understanding, and it changes my perspective on the world. None of this was a mistake. God is in control. And I will trust in Him no matter what. It needs to be a childlike trust, and sometimes I miss the mark on that, but then I read His Word and it gets renewed again. That’s why I seek to read the Bible daily, and twice through each year. I need to renew my childlike trust in my Heavenly Father daily, or the state of things could really get depressing. Or as the Psalmist says, “Why so downcast Oh my soul? Trust in God!”
Amen
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