Recently my toddler stirred up in my heart thoughts about they way in which we live each day. This could be in your role as a mother, in your workplace, when you are with family or friends or perhaps in your relationship with your husband. What I noticed about my toddler is the way he responded when I asked him to help his big sister by putting her shoes away! A little act of kindness, but the way he smiled when he did it is what struck me most. He was so willing to please, and he was so sincere. Don’t get me wrong, he is learning to say NO! This is more about how his eager willingness and generous smile brought so much light, and revealed to me a little nudge of how different my day could be if I would be so willing in my actions!
I believe that if we desire to keep shining light, to have a heart that says yes without resistance, to make a difference in our day and to those around us, we should keep our eyes fixed on the one who can show us the way. Jesus is the light, he is the one who will sustain us, and our love for one another will flow through us from Him. My little boy was so thrilled to please his big sister and his mummy in that moment that the joy that came through his action was tangible. When we are walking closely with the Lord, he gives us the strength and the ability to take the right actions, not because it’s an agreement that if we do more, he will love us more, (of course, there are some things we have to do), but doing what we do because of where the desire for that action comes from. The root of it, the heart felt need to take action to love others, because of God’s love for us, this love like no other gives us the desire to carry out what is pleasing to the Lord. It’s not a case of doing what we do to gain more value from God, and as I said, to make God love us more, that’s not what the Christian faith is. When we love Jesus, when we commit our lives to him and ask for his forgiveness for whatever we may have done, and that is ANYTHING, he will know when we truly are seeking his forgiveness and that we have a sincere heart for Him and he WILL forgive us.
I am always blown away by the following bible passage in Colossians 1:15-20
'The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.'
Children love to please their parents, (most of the time!), when they don’t there is more than likely an underlying reason for the retaliation that unravels. I think there is a parallel here, in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. I know I want to please the Lord, because of His love, forgiveness and grace towards me, and knowing what he has done for me, but sometimes feelings, situations in my life, take me away from the desire to please Him. Not because it’s intentional, although to be honest, like a child, and a child of God, I do sometimes retaliate intentionally, but in most situations, because I’ve taken my eyes off him and have become indwelling and less focused. This makes me more susceptible to live the day without willingness and therefore without thankfulness for what’s right in front of me. It’s not good, it takes away what God wants for us, and put a dark cloud over His light.
The bible says in Philippians 4:8 that we are to,
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‘Fix our thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. To think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise, and to keep putting into practice all that we have learned.’
This isn’t going to be possible if we are not keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. We might think initially that we are doing fine on our own, but eventually, we’ll slip. Jesus stops us from slipping and falling into the trap of thinking we can do it all by ourselves.
When we work willingly at what we do, with Jesus, we will be strong and immovable. We will be able to work enthusiastically for the Lord. We can be encouraged when the bible tells us that nothing that we do for the Lord is ever useless.
The bible reminds us to be thankful, to love one another, to be humble, forgiving, sincere in heart, seek wisdom, be content in all we have and to honour the Lord and seek his kingdom first, and this is not exhaustive. It is quite a chunk to meditate on, isn’t it!? However, seeking the Lord in all of it is the way that we can learn to grow to be more like Jesus and be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We can be more willing, more sincere and more loving in our actions when we acknowledge Jesus in all we do and seek his wisdom for our lives.
I hope this will encourage you and remind you of how much you are loved by God.
Don’t give up today, keep doing the good work you are doing whatever that looks like in your life, and keep seeking Jesus for His guidance and wisdom. He is faithful no matter what your circumstances are right now.
Scripture references
Philippians 4:8, 1 Peter 3:17, Galatians 6:9, Colossians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 15:58, John 8:12, Hebrews 10:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:11, Ephesians 4:2, John 13:34, Psalm 37:5, 1 John 1:9, Hebrews 12:2, Colossians 1:15-20, Romans 12:2.