I have learned much about the dynamic of God’s position as Heavenly Father from my son. I have learned how He should look to us by how my son looks at me. From the instruction and wealth God bestows to the patience He has towards us; my relationship to my first-born son has allowed me to see the benevolence of God and has corrected many of my flawed outlooks and execution as both a father and son.
My daughter however, has granted me the advantage of seeing how we as children look to Him. I have seen my own face in the defiance, foolishness, stubbornness and sheer childishness she has shown me. She has “shone” me well in how much she reflects how MY face and actions look to the Lord. Yet, she has a much better reason to act childish as a child herself than I do as a 41-year old adult.
I am my Heavenly Father’s little daughter. I fidget and twitch; unable yet requiring to be stilled in the discipline of discipleship. I show great potential but an inability to focus it and hone in on the right way of doing things (righteousness) though told and shown over and over again.
I take off running headlong and headfirst towards my faith targets. I ignore His voice sometimes. As He shows me how to put on His armor, I immediately become prideful and attempt to sever my dependence on Him by showing that I can put it on myself… only to end up with pieces on backwards.
I hesitate when I hear the instruction of Big Brother Yeshua (that’s Jesus, folks!) Who has been receiving and executing our Father’s righteousness longer and better than I have. Since I can’t see what He has planned for and is preparing to give me, I pout and whine as I show Him MY wants which I assume to be His top priority for me; unable to see past the nose on my face.
I adapt the characteristics and sicknesses of my peers – sometimes foregoing my own ability to speak His language for the gibberish I overhear when I THINK I’m away from Him. I presume to know what His desires are then act on said presumption often without His expressed approval. All in all, I am in dire need of my Father’s love – both in receiving and expressing it back to Him and others.
Yet, He is patient. He chastens when needed (for whom He does not chasten, He does not love and is as a bastard, see Hebrews 12:6- 8). He is merciful.
Though I am correcting these traits both in her AND myself, the one area that I could learn to be as childlike rather than childish as my precious, precocious daughter is in recognizing when God comes in the room. I’m still working on running towards Him with joy, happiness and an exuberant shout of “DADDY!” no matter what “early mourning” discipline He may have rendered.
Pay attention… for a child will surely lead you to improve your relationship to God, THE Father.
