In parenting children, for me it's boys, it's a world of noise, laughter, egos, and more. It's a place and time I feel completely lost to sea a lot of the time and wonder, "How does one raise boys to be men? To instill character that will chart their course to live by. To direct their energy and drama toward God."
Many times in my lostness and out of my comfort zone, I wonder, "Am I getting anywhere? Am I making a difference? Will they... "
If I am going to judge by what I see there are days that would seem like I am and days that tell me I am not.
I am given raw material. Human hearts that imprints will be left upon.
So often I leave an imprint that pushed too hard, wasn't gentle enough with, spoke too harshly, etc. and I wonder if it hardened... Will it stay that way?
Redemption. Whispers its way into my heart. Yes, redemption.
Look at Peter.
A man of vivaciousness. Blurting out many words before he thought. Making strong commitments and then not keeping them, denying the One he followed.
to -
A man of bold faith. Preaching the One to many and offering Him to those he met; like the lame man desiring alms. Silver and gold have I none, but in the name of Jesus, rise up and walk.
There is Paul.
A man who was convinced the Christians were wrong and needed to be annihilated. Passionate. Supportive of anyone who chose to kill the Christians. Dynamic.
to -
A man whose only goal and passion was to know Jesus and Him alone. Preaching with strong, dynamic passion that we must not let anything become more than Jesus. Not even preaching, not even the ceremonies, and not even the way we live out our faith. It must all come after a relationship with God.
And as Paul wrestled with God about his thorn in the flesh, God gave words to Paul that brought him peace and rest. He encountered God and experienced Him, when he heard the words, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness," Paul's situation did not change, but his heart did. He chose to trust God and find Him to be strong for him.
Rahab.
A lady. A prostitute. A Gentile. One who sold her body so she could live.
to -
selling her life so she could really live. She met Jesus, and she chose Him, and she received true life. eternal life.
Mary Magdalene.
Another lady who sold her body and the demons invaded. Her life was trapped in the forces that took hold of her.
until she too -
Met Jesus and He, gently, set her free from those forces and Jesus became the force and passion of her life. She was devoted to Him, for she was set free.
What about you and I?? Have you initially encountered Him as the One who has set you free from your bondage, sin, and fear? Do you continue to encounter Him, the One who loves you SO MUCH?
Encounter. What does it mean to encounter someone or something? Webster's definition is: to meet unexpectedly; come upon; to meet in conflict or battle; a direct meeting.
Have you met God in your battle? Have you had a direct meeting with Him and found Him to be your Strength? Is He your Hope? Is He your Salvation? Do you KNOW Him, really know Him?
It will be a life-long journey of learning to know Him. This lifetime will never exhaust who He is. Is it your passion to learn more of Him, today. in this moment that you are facing? Do you encounter Him again and again? When we, like Mary Magdalene, remember what He saved us from, our sin, our fears, our bondages; gratefulness and adoration must be our response.
This doesn't come without a cost. a price. It will cost us our self. At times, our desires and goals may need to be given up for His goals and passion. He gave His all, am I willing to give mine?
I believe, when we have a life-changing encounter with Him we will want to give Him our worship and our passion.
Again, my mind goes to the disciples... Their time with Jesus and the learning and falling and learning it took for them to be changed. It didn't happen with one encounter and neither will mine or yours. It will take a lifetime of intentional and passionate living for Jesus; the redeeming of our selves will happen with each encounter we have with the Giver of Life.
It's a learning more of His love for each one of us. It's a choosing to believe His Greater Truth and inhaling it in the mundane and painful moments we experience. It's looking to Him when want to run away. It's holding and even gripping His hand until we see Him. in this moment.
When You Wish You Were a Different Mommy by Alicia Broxvoort, is an excellent article, reminding us of our hope, our redemption, Jesus! Jesus is our strength. (you will probably need to click on search engine or look for previous devotionals)
The truth is... not only do my children need to encounter God, so do I. So do you.
After our initial encounter with God, the Giver of Life, we need daily encounters. Encounters over and over, because we experience life over and over. Disappointments, unmet desires and longings, pain, death...
So, point your children to God; for it is only in Him that they will truly live. (And I speak to myself as well...) Trust Jesus. Proverbs 3:5-6 is there for a reason - Trust in LORD with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
It may even be more of a changing of our hearts before a changing of our children's hearts. For if our children see God alive in our hearts, it will be more likely that they will want to know God as well. (It is still no guarantee, for each child is given a choice...)
When someone is excited about something and when you hear how Jesus is alive to an individual, doesn't it make you want it to?? It does me and it's a greater chance that it will affect your children, too. We all want life. We all want to live... It boils down to - Are we willing to pay the price? Are we willing to allow Him to change our desires and passions to match His?? Do I believe His love for me and that His heart IS good towards me?
Can I trust Him with my boys? Can I trust Him if things don't turn out the way I want them too, that He will be big enough? strong enough for me?? Yes, I believe He will be. But will I trust Him? Yes! It just may take a lifetime of learning. :)
We need to encounter God so He can empower us to rise above all the heartache and pain and the self that lies within us.
The truth of the matter is, we all need an encounter with God. Not just once, but again and again. over and over as we experience life over and over. Let's find Him today and if we don't see Him right now, we hold His hand and ask again for Him to show Himself to us.
You are loved by God. fully. deeply.
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