My
favorite thing about the Bible is that it speaks to me right where I am. The
Bible does not require me to change anything about who or where I am in life.
Like a good friend, the Word comforts, accepts and advises me right where I am.
Then and only then, if I am willing and choose to heed the advise, from my good
friend, does the Word bring me to a different place. A place of restoration,
change and choices.
The
Psalm from the Run to His study that really called on my heart was Psalms 103.
I am a mother after all so I heard my Father’s love and wondered how well loved
are the children He entrusted to me.
Comparing
the Father’s love for me to that I carry for my Boys.
The Lord
is:
8 The
LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger,
abounding in love.
Am I:
Showing
concern for them
Pleasant and slow to anger
Loving
them in large numbers
The Lord
is:
9 He
will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
Am I:
Repeatedly
and annoyingly, accusing them
or am I
quickly
effectively handling their training and discipline.
The
use of the word “harbor” in this verse really hit home with me. Harbor means to
carry the germs of. That is a powerful image, which brings to mind how anger
can spread and infect our lives. Harbor anger towards our children will
definitely destroy our relationships.
The Lord
is:
10 he
does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
Am I:
Providing
for my children at my own expense
Favoring
them and not counting their unfair behavior against them.
The Lord
is:
11 For
as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who
fear him;
Am I:
Loving
Do I
have a great love for my children?
I
mean a 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not
proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Does
my love fit this scripture?
Is it
patient
Is it
Kind
Is it
not envious,
Is it
not boastful,
Is it
not proud,
Is it
not rude,
Is it
not self-seeking,
Is it
not easily angered,
And
Is it not keeping records of wrongs.
Is it
protecting them
Is it
trusting them
Is it
hopeful
Is it
persevering
Is it
a love that will never fail? Is my love a Jesus love?
The Lord
is:
12 as
far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from
us.
Am I:
Do I remove
their mistakes or acts that goes against the code of conduct?
Once
we accept responsibility and ask for forgiveness God removes our sins. He
remembers them no more.
Isaiah
43:25
“I,
even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,
and
remembers your sins no more.
The Lord
is:
13 As a
father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who
fear him;
Am I:
Concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of my children.
Note
that I do believe that my children are very blessed, but they have perceived
suffering and as with every life they do have misfortunes. Now should I be less
compassionate because they are not huge issues? No! Imagine how petty our
problems are to our almightily God who assures us in Matthew 6 that he will
take care of us. Still He has compassion on us.
The Lord
is:
14 for he
knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
Am I:
God
knows me. How well do I know my children? How invested am I in my relationship
with them?
Choosing
to do a heart check.
It is fruitful to examine how God treats us and in turn
how we treat others. How do your relationships match up with these verses?
Run to Him for He Delivers
