Watching – In the Word 6-16-14
Interestingly we watch our children grow. From infancy to
adulthood wondering how much good they will do for the Lord God and how much
damage they will do towards their own selves as they grow. Skinned knees,
broken feet and their hearts follow suit. Healing and reaching out physically
for help, to help and to do the will of God in their lives and on they go!
I often am reminded of my dear friend who told me once to
look at how my children react to me, my rules, my direction as how we God’s
children are behaving toward Him. Often my children were loving and cuddly
little kids and wanting to be with mama all the time; they for a time each of
them has grown away and wanted nothing to do with me and my presence became a
cause of frustration in their lives. I represented the rules, the way they were
expected to act and the work they needed to do.
Is that how we see God; as a watchful parent waiting to find
us doing something wrong so that He can correct us?
Or do we still see Him as the parent who will hold us and
cuddle with us and pamper us when we cry then let us crawl around until we need
his comfort again?
As a child grows we watch them grow, they slowly
become independent from our every need, and they find a way to fix their own
breakfast lunch and eventually even dinner. They find a way to make money to
get what they want instead of asking mom and dad to buy everything for them;
and then they leave the nest.
Then
He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one
hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into
temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went
away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Matthew
26:40-42
Our job as Parent is to provide for them the learning
experiences to grow as human beings and to allow them to become adults who will
benefit the Kingdom
of God
God’s job, if it were, is to provide for us the learning
experiences to grow us as human beings and to allow us to become the adults He
planned for us to become who will be a benefit to the Kingdom of God
The difference is when we as parents let out children leave
the home, God will never let go of our hand.
We allow our children to walk their own walk and find their
own way to God, but God is always watching, ever present; waiting for us to
find our way back to Him.
As parents once they leave the house our job is put on
Consultant Mode; our kids consult us as they feel the need, or desire to get
the help they want.
As children of God we have always been able to speak to Him
each day looking for help, enjoying His company and allowing Him to direct our
path. The same joy as God has when he
sees us standing at the door that He was just knocking at, the door to our
heart, our life, our time; is similar to the joy we have when we see our
children returning home after a retreat, camp or mission trip. We are eager to
hear all of the details and know what they got from it, what help they were, as
well as where they will go from here.
God is watching us, He is longing for us to return to the
place we once were when our every breath depended on what His Word said. He
wants us to return to our first Love; for God is love.
“But of that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray;
for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far
country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his
work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Mark 13:32-34
I recall the time when my love of my life, my husband,
returned from six or so months at war. I watched from land as the ship came
into view; waved with the other Navy wives as it rounded the end of the
breakwater, and rushed to get my car parked and down the peer to meet him at
the ship.
The moment our eyes met, and I knew that particular sailor
was mine; I was willing to climb over all the wives and parents in the way to
get to him and hold him in my arms and beheld by him.
I believe that is how God sees us, when we come to spend
time in prayer with Him; do we know that He is watching us? Do we know that He
is following us with His eyes to see us as we try to get around the hurdles of
family, jobs, and time constraints to get to Him?
Do we know how much He loves us, and misses the constant
communication we have when we are focused on walking with Him daily?
Watch therefore, for you do not know when
the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing
of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he
find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I
say to all: Watch!” Mark 13:35-37
Even when we think we can handle life alone without
consulting Him, He is still following our blog. He know what we are up to, and
waits patiently for us to realize He is there; then He embraces us as we return
to Him. Return to Him today; take time to pray and worship your God, our Lord
Jesus, and thank Him for being there watching and waiting for you and I to be
ready to spend time again with Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for letting our busyness
get in the way of spending time with You. Thank you for watching and waiting,
and being a good example of what we need to do with our own children. Help us
to trust You to direct their paths as you direct ours, in Jesus name, amen.
Suggested Reading; Matthew 26:1-75, Mark 13:1-37, 1 Peter
4:1-19, and Ephesians 6:1-24.