God Notions

I observed a parent with their child at a restaurant last week and I have not been able to get them out of my mind since. It is not this particular pair, but the interaction between the two.

They were eating and conversing as much as an adult can with a three-year-old, until the father told the child, “No.”. That was all, just one simple, no, but the child’s face changed for a split moment. There was a sorrowfulness that wasn’t due to being told no, but to have the father’s disapproval. This is the point where my thoughts took off.

Our Father, in our relationship with Him, gave us just one, “No.”, do not eat from the tree of knowledge. We failed to follow this one directive which leads to ten more commandments. These are so burdensome, who can keep them? No one, yet we still do not want to follow God. Maybe we do want to follow Him, but our desires and pride…I don’t know, something gets in the way of our peace, our fellowship with Father God. Deuteronomy and Leviticus, add an overwhelming plethora of rules, rituals, and sacrifices. I find myself so overwhelmed by these thoughts, so defeated and like that child in the restaurant, sorrowful because I don’t want to disobey my Father, I love Him. He loves me, but I am trapped in a vicious cycle of obedience and rebellion. My heart is burdened and my spirit is sad, what hope do I have to succeed? How can I remember all these rules? How do I obey when I am ignorant of so much?!?

I can’t say I forget as much as I need reminding … Jesus, the Messiah. He is how I can live free from the burden of a broken relationship with Father God. Not only with my Father, but with family, my community, my enemies…my friends. I can’t keep all the rules, regulations, sacrifices and such. I cannot, but Jesus did. Once and for all time, Jesus never broke His relationship with His Father, our Father. He was obedient and faithful to death because of His love for His Father and because of His Father’s love for us.

Because God so loved the world and wants reconciliation, He sent His Son, the One just like Him, to do what we cannot. Christ Jesus, the Messiah, did what we could not, cannot and offers His righteousness to us as a gift. A gift of love, great love, and mercy, given freely to those willing to accept.

Because Jesus is the way to be reunited with God, loneliness and sadness are replaced with joy and belonging. Defeat is replaced with victory. Victory over rebellion, victory to succeed in obedience. Free from the power of fear. Fear of not mattering, fear of failure and the burden of sin. Free from the fear of death because Christ lives and because He lives, so do those who love Him.

Jesus fulfilled the laws, rules, and sacrifices. He paid the ultimate penalty of rebellion and left us with just two new laws: Love God with all our hearts, with all our soul and all our mind. And love one another as we love ourselves.

Even still, we are helpless to keep these without our constant fellowship with Christ Jesus, the Messiah.

Lord,

You are so very patient and generous with Your mercy.

You are always present and all-knowing.

You are Righteous and Holy, Perfect in all ways.

You make all things new.

Please forgive me, for those things I have done knowingly and in ignorance.

Please draw me near and change my heart and mind to be pleasing to You.

Thank you for doing for me what I cannot do for myself.

Thank you for Your Son, Jesus, that I might have life everlasting.

Thank you for this life here on earth, help me to live each day in a way that honors and glorifies You.

Change me to be more like Your Son Jesus.

Teach me to love You with all my heart, mind and soul.

Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.

I love you, Lord, teach me to love You more.