Faith and Hope

            Yesterday, I did a post which was playing catch up from the BRP (Bible Reading Plan). Today the BRP was 1Pet.1:20-21

            Faith and hope are in God: Do you ever stop to think about what, why and how we are here? The purpose? The abilities we are given, especially in being a child of God? I thought about these again today as I was reminded…. We are, because of God. We are here because He desires a relationship with us, and wants us to worship Him, not as slaves before an unjust and cruel master, but of a Just and Gracious  Loving Father. He knew that we would be a fallible group of beings, knowing too what it would cost Him. Even still He desires a relationship with us. He knew that we could never measure up or have the ability to save ourselves. 

          Just as a parent knows that in life their child will face challenges of many kinds, a parent has foresight to know bumpy days will be ahead. The parent also, learns to know their children and knows what works best for each child. Ex: My dad has said, “when it came to you girls (3 of us) your older sister I could ‘spank her or bonk her with a 2x4’ and she was still going to do what she wanted”. (No, he didn’t ever actually clock her with a 2x4). Dad would then of my younger sister say, “child, I am disappointed in you” or have a disappointed face and that would essentially shatter her to the core. The older child needed discipline, but she also needed to find her own way, granted it might’ve come with added struggles, and falls along the way, but as her dad he had to let her be herself to a certain extent. She is now a beautiful woman, with a family of her own. She learned from her dad things to do and not do, which allowed her to shape 3 amazing biological sons, and 2 amazing bonus sons. The younger daughter needed simply to see a disappointed parent’s face or to be verbally told that she had done something that displeased them in order to be corrected, then she would strive then to do better. She is now a beautiful woman of two beautiful children a girl and a boy. She too took away things to do and not do as a parent and is trying to raise her children to be their best selves. (I am not sure what parenting strategy he thought to use for me or what I needed, but for the most part I turned out alright). 

         However, hard my dad might try he couldn’t be a perfect dad, as he is human and makes human mistakes. Yet, this quote of my dad reminds me of our Heavenly Father, He perfectly knows if we are ‘2x4 kids, or a disappointed look on the face kids, etc.’ to know how we need to be corrected and grown as the best version of our selves. All of us girls needed our own style of discipline from our dad to know what was right or wrong and when he had to let us try no training wheels, being close by if we began to wobble or be afraid. Also, dad was there when the training wheels did come off and picking us up, wiping tears or dirt and helping us to try again. 

          God is the same, though He is the perfect parent, we are not perfect. Occasionally, the holes we fall in our holes we dug and fell in. God carefully watches over us but allows us to try it our own way. Or till we notice we are the one holding the shovel, shaking it at God and asking Him, WHY?!?!? Why we are in the hole, he must have put us in it. Eventually, we see our error, then we have to cling to Him to get out of the hole, He was always there a call/prayer away. Other times God has holes along our path that we must go through, to get to the other side growing us just as Joseph, the coat of many colors guy, he literally was in a hole and went through many trials because God ordained it in order for Joseph to not provide for his family, and to bring God glory. We try so hard to figure out the why of the situation instead of The Who of the situation, are we the one Who put us there, or Who do we need to cling to, Who we need to repent to, Who we are becoming through the trial(s) of life.

          Regardless of who you are you will have trials, never forget that God is always with you, whether you are in a hole of your own making or in one that He is trying to teach you in HE IS THERE. You will have trials it is only a matter of when. Also, remember that we are each different and God treats us as such. Just because your friends’ trials, through your eyes, do not compare to the severity of your own trial; try and remember God knows our inner most workings. He knows the ones of us that need the 2x4 and those that need the disappointed look. I am obviously a 2x4 person and I am like Jonah a runner. So wherever you are in your walk, God is there. If you are an unbeliever, God is there. God see us and meets us right where we are. Whatever you have done or are doing that is offending God, He still loves and wants you. There is not a power in this world or existence that can change that. If you feel unworthy or that you have sunk so far that God can’t love you or what love if you call out to Him….. Trust me my friend YOU ARE NOT THAT POWERFUL. Granted He will never make you choose Him, but like the prodigal son He wants you to come home regardless of how messed up you are. I am a child, a person who can attest to this truth, His Grace Still Amazes ME!