Make your Dad glad

Few memories are sweeter than those of coming home to my four kids and being smothered by their affection! They were little and without guile, so I knew the moment I stepped into the house if they had been ‘good’ or if they were on the outs with their Mom, just by the reception I received. If they met me with joy, it was a sign that all was well. If they were quiet or in their rooms, it usually meant that recent activities awaited correction! We who are children of the Heavenly Father are not much different. If we have lived in faithful obedience, we anticipate worship and prayer. If we have strayed from the path, we approach Him with guarded words; or worse, we avoid His Presence altogether.



Do you want to make your Heavenly Dad glad? Do you want to know His blessings, live in His favor?
Make no mistake, His love is a gift of grace through Christ, our Savior. We cannot- indeed, we must not- ever trust our own goodness to make us right with Him, or think that we will gain a home in Heaven because we have been ‘good enough.’ But, we must not forget that He loves obedient children, not just superficially compliant ones, but those who do His bidding wholeheartedly.


The Lord spoke through Isaiah and made clear His expectation. Take a look. “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: ‘Here am I.’

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." (Isaiah 58:6-10, NIV)

Abba (Jesus’ title for our Father) says, “Don’t be a selfish brat! Stop thinking about yourself and focus on meeting the needs of others, especially those who are in need of help.” And what is the promise? Abba will keep you from dark confusion, will respond to your prayers, will turn night to day! Oh, what a blessed life.
Heading into another Christmas season, we can see self-centeredness everywhere. “Gim’me this, gim’me that” is the ugly side of the holidays. Acts says that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Let’s look for ways to give ourselves away. In place of piling up more things, most of which we won’t use and don’t need, how about giving to those truly in need or to a ministry that works tirelessly for the oppressed?

Here’s a word from the Word that demonstrates the kind of love our Father desires to see in us. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

A couple of websites that offer some great alternatives to the usual consumer orgy of spending are listed here. Check them out and make your Dad glad!

http://www.worldvision.org/

http://www.ijm.org/
________________

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross.
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life -
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Townend, Stuart
© 1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)



CCLI License No. 810055