Luke 18:1-8 - One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her. 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. 'I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself, 5'but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!' " 6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this evil judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?"
I've been regularly amazed at the insight I've gained into the heart of God by becoming a father myself. It seems that I understand more and more of God's perspective as I deal with my own children. Yesterday, I had a particularly challenging day with my three oldest boys and by the end of the day I was so frustrated with their constant complaining, bickering and asking me for everything under the sun, I just told them to stop asking me for things. As I uttered those words, it occurred to me that I must have stumbled onto another one of those insights into God's heart. The lesson, I reasoned, is that God just wants to be our father and be with us and He must get really aggravated when we ask and ask and ask and complain and ask and complain, etc. You get the picture.
Well, I believe this morning, that is wrong. God is not a man. His love and patience for his kids far exceeds mine and the scripture above teaches the exact opposite lesson that I thought I gleaned last night from my experience as a dad.
Have I learned many good lessons from my own fatherhood? I sure have. But this particular episode reinforces to me how absolutely important and authoritative God's Word is. If I don't know, understand and apply God's Word, my “wisdom” is the most foolish of all thoughts.
1 comment:
This was so encouraging. I feel like I ask God for the same things over and over, and complain about my life, and it doesn't help anything. It's hard to find the 'fine lines', between needing his help, and clinging to his friendship, which coexist and run together quite often. I have so much to learn, and it's nice knowing he is patient enough. :)
Post a Comment