God as our Parent

There are so many correlations in our lives as parents to our spiritual lives with Christ. The more it seems that I discuss these similarities, many more come to mind. One such incident was set firm within me this last weekend.

My two older boys have enjoyed the sport of wrestling over the last several years. They have competed for their school, and also for a local wrestling club, in matches throughout the metropolitan area. This last Saturday was the final League Jamboree Tournament for all of the teams in Northwestern Oregon and Southwestern Washington.

We all got up early Saturday morning and traveled to the tournament in Gladstone, Oregon. My older son, who is in his last year of this league, did not draw his first match until about 11 am that morning. I was taping the match with our video camera and at the same time attempting to coach him through the first round. Right in front of me, the other boy got a take down towards the end of the round, taking the match to the mat. Too quickly it seemed, my sons opponent was able to roll him over onto his back - virtually into a pinning position. At that point I could see the look on his face - something was wrong - the match was stopped. As I moved onto the mat and over my son lying on his back, I could see his right shoulder was not in a good position. He calmly told me that on the take down he had heard his collarbone snap, but thought he could make it until time ran out in the round.

As parents, I am sure many of you can image the pain I felt as I knelt beside my son trying to figure out how to help him in the quickest and most efficient manner. Seeing your child in this situation and in this kind of pain, just turns your stomach and emotions up-side-down. As a dad, you just wish you could take the injury away from your son and put it on your own body.

After too many times in the last couple of days, replaying the events of this injury over in my mind, the thought struck me that this is very much like what God must feel with us. When we, his children, are in physical pain - I am sure He feels the great pain of a parent. But I probably can't imagine the pain He feels when we are living outside of His will -in sin.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that come by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."
Romans 3:23-25

While I as a dad, grieving over an injury to my son, did not have the power to transfer his injury to my body and be a substitute in his place - God does have this power. Even before we knew the consequence of our sin (our injuries), God sent Christ to be the substitute for our iniquities and the punishment we deserved. All of our sins (our injuries) were transferred onto the body of Christ, and through faith in this act, we no longer have to live with the pain of our confessed sin. What an incredible Parent!

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned away; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:5-6

What will 2010 bring us?

The year 2010 is upon us and 2009 is now just memories and behind us. What an interesting and often anxious time to be living here on earth. It sometimes seems that the world is going sideways in a hurry with fears of economic collapse, wars, terrorism, the breakdown of the family, famine, natural disasters - the list can go on and on. The thoughts and concerns over this overwhelming list could tend to break us down if we let it. What are we as Christians to do or think?

First we shouldn't be surprised. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:4-14, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nations will rise against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Seems like a fairly accurate description of our world doesn't it. But Jesus tells us "see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen". He also tells us that the times he describes are "the beginning of birth pains". Using this analogy although, what happens immediately after the birth pains - a wonderful and glorious creation is revealed to the mother! When the birth pains are over, the restored and glorious creation of our God will be revealed to us.

When we hear of the mocking and hatred of Christians and Christianity from college professors, talk-show hosts, the media and even government officials; remember, Jesus did tell us "the love of many will grow cold". Luckily, we know the end of the story - Jesus wins - we win.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the place where I am going". John 14:1-4

Max Lucado states "All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of God and serve his good will. When the world appears out of control, it isn't. When warmongers appear to be in charge, they aren't. When ecological catastrophe's dominate the day, don't let them dominate you. Let's trust our heavenly Father".

Why - because "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7