Immediate Responses

Since I've been in Costa Rica, I haven't had a chance yet to teach or preach, so there's a little bit in me that feels like a pressure cooker that's ready to blow and let some things out!  I can't believe how much I miss teaching and sharing, and I pray that the Lord gives me a chance soon here to share the Word with others.  Until then, I'll occasionally be posting blogs that aren't necessarily related to Costa Rica, but are about what the Lord is doing in my life, what He's said to me in His Word, or thoughts I've had during other situations.  Most of these will be taken from my journal that I keep so that years from now my children will be able to read them and see what the Lord did in the life of their father.  Hope you enjoy them!

As a parent, one of the things that makes me most upset is when Sara or I give the girls a clear instruction or command, and they take their time to respond.  Often, I'll hear Sara tell the girls to come into the living room, or to clean something up, but the girls will just keep playing, or will stop along the way to do something else that they want to do first.  They may have a heart to obey (eventually), but first they want to gratify their own desires, or finish something that is important to them that they're being asked to stop.  Of all the little acts of rebellion that the girls do, this delay to obey is one that gets them into the most trouble.  I expect the kids to always immediately respond to the commands they are given by their parents, and to fulfill what is expected and required of them quickly.

However, in my own life, I often find a deep hypocrisy in this area.  I hear the Lord give me a command to, 'Go here,' or 'Tell this person about me,' or 'It's time to stop doing this...,' etc, and I presume that my heavenly father will allow me to take my time in obeying.  "Just a while longer, Lord, I'm not quite done here yet," is a common delaying tactic, or, "I'm not ready to tell them about you yet, Lord, but I'll be better prepared tomorrow."  Even, "Just a few more minutes with my sin, Lord, and then I'll be done enjoying it," makes a frequent appearance in my conversations with the Lord (maybe not vocally, but definitely behaviorally).  What a terrible truth this reflects on my heart!

In my house, there is punishment for such disobedience from my daughters.  Sometimes it is simply a strong rebuke; othertimes, they will lose something dear to them for a time; in more serious times of rebellion, the punishment may grow even more severe (I'll let you decide what that means).  During these times of consequences, my desire is to show grace and mercy to my children, and my heart towards them is one of love, but I cannot allow the disobedience to go uncorrected and unchallenged, either.  Because I want my children to live and walk and grow up in a right and Godly way, I must take action!  I would be an unloving and uncaring father if I didn't! (Parents, just think of the children that you know whose parents do NOT show dicipline in their lives.... see the problem??)

How much more should the response of the Lord be to rebellion in my life!?  Should I not expect to suffer rebuke, loss, and shame because of my sin and disobedience?  Even if I claim that I'm going to obey Him eventually, the fact is that I'm still sinning NOW!  The Lord would not be good, loving, or kind to leave my rebellious, self-serving heart unchecked.  Jesus Himself said, "And everyone who hears these words and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Mt. 7:26-27 ESV)

Lord, please change my heart!  Give me a heart that desires You and Your will, the first time, and every time, because I know that you are a loving Father, and you know and desire what is best for me, now and in the long term!