Durruck
Pirate!
That’s my boy!
By Jon Walker
“As bad as you are … you're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:11 MSG)
It was one of my son’s first public performances (if you don’t count the times he charmed visitors to our home). His Mother’s Day Out class was set to perform songs for all the parents. My wife had been practicing the songs with him for two weeks; my job was to videotape the event for posterity.
Because I once made my living in television, I knew what I wanted out of this recording. I arrived with a bag full of electronic toys … I mean tools ... and I found, to my amusement, an impromptu press gallery comprised of other dads also trying to record the big event. We were all jockeying for the best camera position, and we were just about as competitive as the news crews I used to elbow my way through when I was a reporter. (We all wanted to capture the moments we could use to embarrass our children when they became teenagers!)
With my camera position set, I was distressed to see that the stage lighting was too low for even the best camera positions. I also knew from experience there was too much ambient noise in the room to get a good sound recording.
Then, as the choir took the stage, my hopes for an Emmy-winning video sank faster than the Titanic – my son was positioned onstage in a way that gave me a horrible sideways picture.
Just then, he got an overwhelmed look on his face, and he started yelling, “Mommy!” I felt like crying “Mommy!” too.
Finally, the choir began to sing, but my son didn’t seem as interested in performing as in the audio speakers and how they were plugged. So much for posterity! So much for a tape to send in to “American Idol!” (Maybe we still had a chance at “America’s Funniest Videos”!)
Suddenly my son turned to face me – blue eyes so buoyant they could’ve raised the Titanic. The professional videographer in me melted away, and I whispered, “That’s my boy!” When I walked out of that performance, I thought, “There’s absolutely nothing I would trade for having been here.”
So let’s ponder this – Do you sometimes think of God as more “the Professional” than as “the Father”? Do you think he’s disappointed in you when things don’t go perfectly, or when you’re not perfect? Do you think he’ll withdraw his love if you mess up the performance?
Do you think you have to perform for God?
The Good News is that God’s love never fails. Next time you’ve totally blown it, think about the father heart of God and the fact that you’re totally accepted by him.
God knew you’d never be perfect without his help, and that’s why, when he looks at you, he shouts, “That’s my child, and I wouldn’t trade my child for anything!”
So what?
· God loves you better than you love your own children – “As bad as you are … You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:11 MSG)
· God’s love is bigger than your mistakes – The next time you fail, don’t avoid God or come to him like a dog with your tail between your legs. Come to him knowing he is your loving Father, knowing you can trust his love for you to remain constant and consistent.
· How would you change? – Think about the times when you doubt God’s love. Why do you think you do that? How would your behavior change if you totally believed in the father-heart of God? Ask God to guide you through this process and to lead you to a place of total trust in him.
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.
By Jon Walker
“As bad as you are … you're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:11 MSG)
It was one of my son’s first public performances (if you don’t count the times he charmed visitors to our home). His Mother’s Day Out class was set to perform songs for all the parents. My wife had been practicing the songs with him for two weeks; my job was to videotape the event for posterity.
Because I once made my living in television, I knew what I wanted out of this recording. I arrived with a bag full of electronic toys … I mean tools ... and I found, to my amusement, an impromptu press gallery comprised of other dads also trying to record the big event. We were all jockeying for the best camera position, and we were just about as competitive as the news crews I used to elbow my way through when I was a reporter. (We all wanted to capture the moments we could use to embarrass our children when they became teenagers!)
With my camera position set, I was distressed to see that the stage lighting was too low for even the best camera positions. I also knew from experience there was too much ambient noise in the room to get a good sound recording.
Then, as the choir took the stage, my hopes for an Emmy-winning video sank faster than the Titanic – my son was positioned onstage in a way that gave me a horrible sideways picture.
Just then, he got an overwhelmed look on his face, and he started yelling, “Mommy!” I felt like crying “Mommy!” too.
Finally, the choir began to sing, but my son didn’t seem as interested in performing as in the audio speakers and how they were plugged. So much for posterity! So much for a tape to send in to “American Idol!” (Maybe we still had a chance at “America’s Funniest Videos”!)
Suddenly my son turned to face me – blue eyes so buoyant they could’ve raised the Titanic. The professional videographer in me melted away, and I whispered, “That’s my boy!” When I walked out of that performance, I thought, “There’s absolutely nothing I would trade for having been here.”
So let’s ponder this – Do you sometimes think of God as more “the Professional” than as “the Father”? Do you think he’s disappointed in you when things don’t go perfectly, or when you’re not perfect? Do you think he’ll withdraw his love if you mess up the performance?
Do you think you have to perform for God?
The Good News is that God’s love never fails. Next time you’ve totally blown it, think about the father heart of God and the fact that you’re totally accepted by him.
God knew you’d never be perfect without his help, and that’s why, when he looks at you, he shouts, “That’s my child, and I wouldn’t trade my child for anything!”
So what?
· God loves you better than you love your own children – “As bad as you are … You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:11 MSG)
· God’s love is bigger than your mistakes – The next time you fail, don’t avoid God or come to him like a dog with your tail between your legs. Come to him knowing he is your loving Father, knowing you can trust his love for you to remain constant and consistent.
· How would you change? – Think about the times when you doubt God’s love. Why do you think you do that? How would your behavior change if you totally believed in the father-heart of God? Ask God to guide you through this process and to lead you to a place of total trust in him.
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.