Weekly Thought – March 9, 2021
Fred often commented on his progress in parenting. “It wasn’t a natural process for me, but I worked on it. My children occasionally thank me for the lessons I have learned. One commented that I have done a fair job of “reparenting.” His children would no doubt express gratitude for the way he and Mary Alice made sure they knew the Heavenly Father.
The Permanent Parent
Our heavenly father is permanent – there is no short term contract. He chooses to be bonded to us. What a wonderful feeling to know that God the father seals the relationship once and for all. We don’t have to keep winning His acceptance. It is not a contingent or conditional relationship. Sadly, many fathers cannot grasp the unconditional nature of His parenthood and then cannot reflect that to his own children.
After an anniversary trip, Mary Alice and I stopped in Austin to have lunch with Browning Ware who told us about a woman he had known for over twenty years. She struggled with the fact she could never please her father, even though he has been dead for years. She once told him of striving for academic excellence to please him. When she brought home a report card with all “A’s” she expected high praise. Instead he took it, looked at it, and said, “Don’t they give A+ grades down at that school?” She was crushed. Our relationship with God the father is not based on our accomplishments; our acceptance is based strictly on His love.
This assurance of permanence is expressed no better than by the Apostle Paul “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creatures, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When our daughter Brenda went to college she inserted “nor Denison University” into the list recognizing that event the university environment wouldn’t be strong enough to shake the permanent nature of God’s hold.
Intimacy is the outgrowth of spiritual maturity. The depth and closeness of the relationship comes about naturally as we grow together, whether with God our father or our human connections. Confidence is a good platform for permanence. When we are secure in the enduring quality we have the freedom to open up. God’s everlasting love for us teaches us the way to open the way to intimacy with our own children. Knowing His love for us creates a model for human parenting.
This week think about: 1) Who first taught me about God’s love? 2) Who first taught me about God’s love? 3) How can I pass these lessons on to my family?
Words of Wisdom: “Our relationship with God the father is not based on our accomplishments; our acceptance is based strictly on His love.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” (2 John 1:3 NET Bible)