Ever notice how once your kids are born you spend all their
early years trying to teach them to be independent, to think for themselves, to
make decisions, and be responsible. Yet as they get into their later teen years
or young 20’s, you want them to check
with you more often before making those decisions, and to listen more carefully
to your advise. At this point, we aren’t
too sure we really meant all those things about being independent. “Think for
yourself but only as far as I agree with your decisions” Interesting twist. And
as they get older (and us), they slowly start giving us advise and get agitated
when we don’t take their recommendations.
This seems to be difficult for me as my kids get older and
more independent. I want them to be independent, but I am nervous as they step
out for themselves. Will they make the right decisions (from my perspective of
course)? And what makes them think they are experienced enough or knowledgeable
enough to make suggestions to me as they get older?
I think in the same way, God is concerned about the choices
we make as we get older and more independent. He gave us free will and the
ability to make decisions and choices; but do you think He still is anxious
about the choices we make? I don’t want to mess up my theology too much,
because I know that that He is all-knowing, but in working with the analogy of
a loving Father, I think God still feels anxious (that may not be the right
word for God’s emotions) for our decisions. He knows the results of our
choices, and I believe He cares so much for us, that He is concerned for the ramifications
of our decisions. Just like we are concerned about the choices our kids make. And
as we grow older, we find ourselves praying to God about circumstances, and we
seem to chip in our own ideas about how those prayers should be answered. We say
“Your will be done, but if you taking requests (and you say we have not because
we ask not, so I’m asking) here is how I think it should be answered in order
to make ME happy.” What amazing hubris! To think we can tell God how to answer
our prayers and then get steamed if He doesn’t do it our way! Do you think God
gets annoyed with us, when we ask His opinion and don’t listen or respond to
His answers? Do you, when your kids do this?
Yet God gave Adam and Eve that free will and the right to
make their own choices; He knew how that would shake out and what the results would
be like today. And yet He still loved us enough to give that choice to us,
anyway. Pretty amazing. Just like what we wind up doing with our own kids.
Does this make sense? Do you see any of this?
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