A few days ago I saw a facebook entry from my daughter recounting a conversation with her son.
Mommy: Eat Peyton.
Peyton: I yav you too.
Mommy: I love you too Peyton, now please eat.
Peyton: I yav you too mommy. No.
I smiled. Big.
I smiled because I remember the strength of will “mommy” had when she was this age, and the combination of steel determination and loving sweetness she had—which has apparently been passed to Peyton.
I smiled because I know Sarah can handle it, and I’m good with her getting a little of her own medicine.
I smiled because I know we sound just like that to God sometimes.
We really do. Then I stopped smiling.
We sing his praises. We shout “Hallelujah”—often not knowing the definition of the word—and with no intention whatsoever of changing anything in our lives. We talk about how much we love God, how so and so has such a love for the Lord in his heart.
God has told us what to do in life, and while we all need to read the Word more, most of us have a pretty good idea when we’re disobeying. But it’s ok. God is love. He is the Father who seeks us. He is the one who died to save us. We all make mistakes, we all fail. He forgives us. He won’t hold this (whatever “this” is) against us.
I love you God. No.
It’s cute when it is my 2 year old grandson—and when it is my daughter dealing with it instead of me.
It’s not so cute when it’s an adult who claims to be Christian, to love the Lord, but isn’t particularly interested in Him truly being Lord. We aren’t two year olds, and we can’t pretend our rebellion is the same as Peyton’s.
Jesus said “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
So, do we?
in Christ,
Randy
Challenging! Thank you. Why we do what we do regardless of what we do & prayer should filter through the brain before any action takes place.
Challenging! Thank you. Why we do what we do regardless of what we do & prayer should filter through the brain before any action takes place.
+1
Randy, doesn't a lot of this go back to what chair we are sitting in???
Absolutely. I guess it shows that we tend to move from chair to chair much more often than we want to admit:-). The adult who says "I love you God. No." is putting himself in the time out chair.
For those who don't know about the "chairs", they refer to an illustration we use picturing our relationship with the Lord in terms of the table the Lord sets for us. Three chairs around the table represent curiosity, new commitment and maturity (and of course most are somewhere in the process, not just in one or another chair). Two other chairs are away from the table. The time out chair is where we go when we back away from the Lordship of Christ (I'm mad, I don't care, I won't give this up…many ways of saying "No") and the high chair is where we go when we say "But it has to be my way. My music, my group, my preferences…". If anyone is interested in more info on this see the videos on http://www.nocc.org.
This Christian "walk" of ours is so dynamic. Like BP or IOP's it can change in an instant. One day the review of what chair I'm in can be great, the next day…not so great! But He reamins faithful no matter what. Now that's a Rock to lean on!!