Learning to be a good son

I was wrestling with my boy the other day...and God revealed some things to me. I thought I'd share. While we were wrestling, Jaden jumped on my couch and started running on it. He can't stand on our furniture...so I told him to get down. 2 minutes later he was doing it again. He got a swat and we went back to wrestling. 2 minutes later he was doing it again. He got another swat...and I sat him down and asked him if he understood that what he was doing was wrong. He said he understood and that he wouldn't do it anymore...we went back to wrestling. 2 minutes later he was standing on my couch again.

He got another swat on an already tender thigh, and he cried this time. I held him and told him that I loved him, but that he needed to obey me. Even in the midst of his tears, he asked if we could still wrestle. That's when God started revealing His heart to me. He told me that I'm a lot like Jaden sometimes. I love being with my Abba, but I want to do things MY way, not his. He loves me and continues to be with me, but he doesn't let me stay in the same place. He gently, but firmly guides me back to His path. Sometimes we miss the "firmly" part of that. After a while if we keep heading the wrong way, that gentle but firm direction starts to chafe and hurt. Then my response is to go to Him and ask why he's allowing me to go through so much pain....see where I'm going?

Jaden dried his tears and we wrestled on. No more jumping on the couch.

As we live our lives according to the statutes and precepts that God lays out for us we can experience so much more of the fullness that He has for us. He doesn't stop loving us, He doesn't stop hanging out with us, but in his kindness, he leads us into a radical life change.
Go willingly.