The give and take scenario is exemplified in the parent/child relationship. From the moment of conception we as humans begin to take. We extract from the umbilical cord all the nutrients we might need to continue to live. We are born and continue our great need upon our parents for everything. As infants we can not seem to sleep, eat, or release bodily functions without our parents help.
Our parents teach us to use the toilet, eat with a fork, tie our shoe laces and use proper hygiene. They help with schoolwork, riding a bike, and driving a car. They exemplify the use of a budget, how to get and keep a job and how to maintain relationships.
Maybe I am seeing too deep with the pink glasses in using the stereotypical family concept. My glasses are far from pink and I am all too aware that too many families are severely dysfunctional in these basic concepts. Ozzie and Harriet made us all think that was they way it was. I am not emotionally deaf. I know not all families run in the Nelson perfection.
But when we turn this scenario towards God the Father and us who claim him as Lord it is not nearly as dysfunctional. He desires to teach us all the important things we need to grow spiritually. He is not affected by the passing tides of religious fads and facades. He functions with or without us. He would stand to be even if we did not exist. He is the stalwart parent loving us when we are most unlovable. When we throw a temper tantrum and insist on having our way or are adamant that our way is right or better he sits and waits and then lovingly and gently reminds us he is God. I am so glad he is God.
I grew up in the ultra-dysfunctional family setting. I hear a lot of folks say that they are unable to view God as a loving parent because their father beat them or molested them. Been there done that and got three shirts and a key chain. Move on. One of the main reasons one would view God as harsh parent that they could never love is because they have already tested him beyond what they should and are still trying to convince him that their immature ways are far better than what he is presenting them with. And thus in their need to prove their way is better they end up not having a loving God figure to give them approval so he ends up becoming the angry, unreasonable, ogre.
My daughter asked me what happens if her son tries to touch the glass on the fireplace. I said he would burn his little fingers and hopefully he wouldn’t want to touch it again. But if he insisted then it would be a matter of time and growth that he would succumb to the reality that touching the hot glass is fairly stupid… and it hurts!
Father God will do the same. If you want your life the way it is; if you are happy the way you are then he will let you have it. But don’t wah-wah that he isn’t there to help you when you on a whim decide you ‘need’ something from him then push him away when you are finished. He is so patient and he will wait, wait, and wait. When you are ready to give up to his ways and relinquish your tries at ‘undoing the dysfunction’ he will be right there for you.
God is who God is. He is the ever-loving, truly loyal, compassionate and caring God amongst gods that sent his only son to die for your redemption and adoption into deeper and higher ways. Until our hearts truly desire repentance and to be like him and see like he does then we will continue to be the takers while he is the definitive giver.
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