"A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?"
Malachi 1:6
This made me think of how we look at God in our lives. He *is* our Father in Heaven, but do we treat him that way? And even if we look at him differently... as a master or a judge, or even a teacher, do we afford him the respect, obedience, and love that we offer to even the weakest or most despised earthly counterparts? We might not always like the people who have authority over us in this life, but we still typically respect that authority, to avoid the consequences. And we might not always like our earthly fathers either, but we still usually treat them like family, and work on those relationships. How much more, then, should we respect, honor, and obey God, and work on THAT relationship?
It seems like sometimes we treat God more like a combination pickpocket-used car salesman that also is disfigured and smells bad. We guard our wallets, mistrust everything that he says, flinch from his touch, and feel ashamed to know him... or try to pretend that he isn't even there. We all too often despise his name.
Today, let's think about the way we treat God. He doesn't need us to change, but we certainly need it. He is kind to us even in our cruelty, but if we want that relationship to bear fruit and to experience the blessings of having God as father and teacher and friend... then we need to treat him that way. We need to get to know him, learn how he works, why he does what he does, and learn to love him. There is so much potential in that relationship... and more joy than we've ever known... if we can just get over our silly, stupid biases and internal walls, and let him into our lives.
(This often also works with people... even pickpockety ones, as above.)
Malachi 1:6
This made me think of how we look at God in our lives. He *is* our Father in Heaven, but do we treat him that way? And even if we look at him differently... as a master or a judge, or even a teacher, do we afford him the respect, obedience, and love that we offer to even the weakest or most despised earthly counterparts? We might not always like the people who have authority over us in this life, but we still typically respect that authority, to avoid the consequences. And we might not always like our earthly fathers either, but we still usually treat them like family, and work on those relationships. How much more, then, should we respect, honor, and obey God, and work on THAT relationship?
It seems like sometimes we treat God more like a combination pickpocket-used car salesman that also is disfigured and smells bad. We guard our wallets, mistrust everything that he says, flinch from his touch, and feel ashamed to know him... or try to pretend that he isn't even there. We all too often despise his name.
Today, let's think about the way we treat God. He doesn't need us to change, but we certainly need it. He is kind to us even in our cruelty, but if we want that relationship to bear fruit and to experience the blessings of having God as father and teacher and friend... then we need to treat him that way. We need to get to know him, learn how he works, why he does what he does, and learn to love him. There is so much potential in that relationship... and more joy than we've ever known... if we can just get over our silly, stupid biases and internal walls, and let him into our lives.
(This often also works with people... even pickpockety ones, as above.)
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