Competition is Interesting Until My Child is in There, Then It Becomes Exciting!
Don’t we get more engaged when our Child/Grandchild is on the field, court, or stage?
Filming a ballgame with a video camera or smart phone allows me to watch …. quietly. Otherwise, I am not quiet; neither am I calm. I have such respect for coaches who can maintain their cool in the middle of the game when tensions are high and emotions are hot. However, there are those times when I am in the audience/crowd, even in a tense game or high-pressure performance, and I don’t need a camera or other device to distract me from the action. Why? Because my child/grandchild is not in it. I am so calm and objective!
God is our Father, yes? Yes! How does He feel about you and me as He observes our life day to day, minute to minute? Of course, I don’t know exactly because I am not God, but I do think I have a pretty good idea, at least as much as my mind can understand the ways God, the Father, revealed His love for His Son Jesus Christ.
At Jesus’ baptism:
Matthew 3:17
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:11
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:22
and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Can you hear it in Father’s words about His only begotten Son Jesus? Please take some time to meditate (think and listen and pray) about how the Father truly loves the Son.
On the mount of transfiguration:
Matthew 17:5
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
Mark 9:7
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Luke 9:35
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Can you sense the approval and respect the Father is giving to Jesus Christ, His Son, as He directs the disciples to pay attention to Jesus.
Many, too many, of us grew up not knowing whether our fathers (mothers, others in authority over us) approved of us or valued us in the relationship. You and I can accept our heritage without repeating it, if we come to grips with how loved we are by our Heavenly Father. Our current heritage can become a new legacy handed down to our kids and grandkids. Finding the truth about how God loves us is key to the change from bad heritage to a good one, or good to better, or really good to great!
Do you know that the Father truly loves you? Do you? Have you ever carefully read John 3:16 and surrounding verses? Or what about the prayer Jesus prayed in John 17 just before His crucifixion and resurrection? Please pay particular attention to John 17:23 (NLT).
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. (underlining is mine)
Did you see that? Jesus prayed for us that we would know God’s love so deeply that we would understand that the Father loves us as much as He loves Jesus! Wow!
I really enjoy watching the Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes. He is a great quarterback in just his 5th year in the NFL, and although I would certainly be interested in watching him play in person, I would be much more engaged when one of our own kids/grandkids was playing or performing. Actually, just watching our kids live their lives, rear their children, and walk with God is engaging, thrilling, and satisfying. Of course, there are exceptions, times when I would rather they handled things differently. My job is not to try to change them but to love them. But the vast majority of the time, I am blessed and amazed at how our kids are living their lives.
3 John 4 makes this claim: “I have no greater joy than to hear of my children walking in the truth.”
My encouragement to you and to myself is to not waste another day, week, month, year, or generation. Invest God’s loving care and encouragement for you into your kids and grandkids. If you don’t have kids, there are plenty of kids in your schools, churches, orphanages, and neighborhoods who would be so grateful and blessed to have a man, woman, or couple who’d show them the love and truth of Jesus Christ. Our world is starving for love. We have Jesus and consequently the love of God. Let’s realize we are loved and give His love away…starting at home.
The song I attached a week or so before: Simon and Garfunkel’s – ‘I Am a Rock’ once again shows how far short we have fallen in knowing what real love is! Loving is always worth the potential pain we may feel. The pain of not loving is longer lasting and full of regret.