“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
It’s so simple yet so profound. Pay attention or you’ll miss it! Remember, “your theology is lived out of your fingertips”. It determines what you do on a daily basis and how you raise your children. It is paramount that you keep your thinking right about the things of God.
Important point of theology for today:
“We were created FOR God, not Him for us.”
Many of us live just the opposite. Many churches teach the opposite. That life is about “what God can do for me”. Oh we don’t say it out loud, but we believe it. We are given to selfishness by nature, and then every message around us reinforces that message until we lose sight, completely, of what we are here for.
One popular pastor said, “When you are tempted to get discouraged, remind yourself that according to God’s word, your future is getting brighter;”
To most people, that means “greater and greater things (riches, success, etc.) are coming in my life”. To Paul it meant, “Being beheaded means meeting my Savior–to God be the glory!”
All we do is meant to glorify Him. Even in our prayers, we express selfish desires, instead of ultimately praying that “He would be glorified”. (I’m guilty.)
When we measure our choices, our behavior, our decisions based on what HE would have us do, with a heavenly focus, our lives look different.
Let’s parent with that in mind. When that theology takes root in our lives, it will seep into our children’s.
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8
19 comments
I more I focus on creating an orderly and organized plan for sharing the faith with our children, the more I find I am defining it for myself as well. So often I find myself trying to explain something and realizing that I’m struggling because I either don’t know it myself or haven’t fully absorbed it as truth in my own life. What a light bulb moment in my walk with Christ! Teaching them is teaching me.
Next to being my husband’s helpmeet, my most important “job” is raising these children for His Glory. We like to remind each other that our goal is for every thought, word, and action to bring Him Glory. It is definitely a spiritual discipline to develop that intentionality and to keep us focused. As a mother, my most powerful tool is my influence. I am influencing every moment of everyday. Being conscious of that helps me remember that I must allow Him to purify and renew each of my thoughts, words, and actions so that I can consistently point them to Him. When I stumble, it is imperative that I confess and repent before my children. It helps them learn to do the same thing. When they see me humble and pliable in His Hands, it helps them trust me even more.
This is so true and I think the key to a TRUE Christianity…knowing that we were made By God, For God. I wrote a post about it a while back. I love to hear other people say this same thing. It takes the whining out of life, but brings with it “suffering.”
“Whosoever will save his life, shall lose it, but whosoever shall save his life for my sake the same shall save it.”
http://santostimes.blogspot.com/2010/05/from-salvation-to-my-purpose-in-life.html
Lovely post.
You and I may disagree on a lot of things, but I so agree with this. Bottom line whatever our differences about interpretation on ‘how we live our life’ this is what matters in the end. We were created for him and not vice versa a very important lesson to remember.
We are not ‘owed’ anything because we pray or fast or think we live life as per God’s wishes. Prosperity does not mean the clothes we have, the cars we drive or the houses we live in. There may be suffering on this earth. But the blessed are those who know him, have a personal relationshp with him, can praise him through anything, one of the hardest thing to do. And hopefully one day live with him. I am humbled he chose a flawed one such as me to be his child. May God be praised.
“When we measure our choices, our behavior, our decisions based on what HE would have us do, with a heavenly focus, our lives look different.”
Amazing statement Kelly! If we could get past thinking of our happiness, and what we want now, and think in light of eternity, what a difference that would truly make! Also, I want to teach my children to think with this philosophy: “What is right is not always popluar; what is popular is not always right”.
*groan* I’m definitely guilty of this. Right now I’m dealing with infertility, yet instead of asking “God, how can You be glorified through this struggle?” I’m letting myself be discouraged and asking, “Why, God? Why me?” Thank you for this reminder; it’s certainly timely.
My sister in law has lived with infertility for many years now. It has been good to get to know this side of her life and talk with her and try to understand the pain she carries. It is a very difficult walk to walk. I found these today and sent them to her. She appreciated them, maybe they will be a little encouragement to you too. Sending love that you will continue to go to the FOUNTAIN of LIFE each day that is low.
http://frugalgranola.com/2010/06/journey-of-blessing-bittersweet/
http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/2010/06/18/two_journeys/
with tender love
I asked my sister-in-law if I could share her blog and her story so far of infertility, she said I could. She just started this blog, so she is just beginning to post and write about her struggle and her reality. The Lord has revealed beautiful truths to her. It has been a very painful road, but she is using it to learn to love HIM more.
http://findingsunshinekimb.blogspot.com/p/our-infertility-story.html
Sending a hug to you today, Stephanie
Stephanie,
I am so sorry for your hurting. And I can only imagine how difficult it is to trust in “God’s best” when you want so badly to be a mother. And your comment reflects what I’ve repeated here…it’s not about a “number” of children at all; it’s about our recognition of the sovereignty of God, and sometimes that can be a painful “no” at the moment, and very difficult to swallow.
Praying for your peace and strength…
The hardest part of this isn’t the teaching but the living. We teach all the right things, try to build that solid foundation through daily Bible reading, daily family worship, catechism…but as soon as I get overtired and overstressed what do my children see me do? Act in a way that does NOT glorify God. Of course using this time as an opportunity to teach them that what I did was wrong can bring good to the situation but only for so long 🙂
Very good truths, Kelly. I’m going to see about getting this book right after this comment.
On a side note, I’ve been reading Your Home, A Place of Grace by Susan Hunt. It is EXCELLENT so far. Have you read any of her writings? I highly recommend her.
I SO agree with realizing we are created by God FOR Him! I don’t like it when Christians only focus on what God does for them. I do not like it, either, when our only focus is on our own suffering or trials. A one sided Gospel is a one sided Gospel, no matter which side you are on. To not realize that God want to bless us, HOWEVER He wants, is denying Him the role of Father. To say that He only wants to only discipline us is to also denying Him the role of Father. God promises us many things if we are obedient, just us we less than perfect parents do to our beloved kids; but His rewards are temporal AND eternal.
As a final note, I do not think it is wrong to express selfish desires. I ask for my daughter’s suffering to be ended almost daily. It is for her, but it is also for me. It hurts badly to hear her cry/moan/whimper. I cannot find in the Bible a place it tells us not to ask God, through Jesus, for our desires.(I do find an exhortation to ask Him, though). I think it hurst God more than it would hurt us to find out that our own children would not ask for something they desire. It takes away His Abbaness, His role as Daddy. Can He tell me “not yet” and me be confident that He is still God? Yes, almost every day. Does He tell me to stop asking? I have never heard God once tell me to stop coming to Him. (My sheep hear my voice).
Asking for our desires and asking that we glorify Him need not be mutually exclusive. It depends on our heart, as things with God usually do. I offer myself as a living sacrifice while still asking for my selfish desires. I just surrender to whatever His answer is. (Just as Paul selfishly asked his suffering to end, and him being OK with God’s answer).
Amen! Great post! soooooooo true!
I noticed I was getting traffic off of your site today, Kelly and wanted to stop in and check out your blog. I really enjoy this post in particular and have so been working on this in my own life. Thanks for putting it so beautifully. And I think you are right (I’m Kristi’s sister-in-law with infertility-listed above) it is not wrong for us to cry out to God with our hurts. I have found he is my greatest comforter. But I do try to pray for his will to go forth in my life above all else. Anyway, beautiful post. Thanks.
Ahhhh… I love that my sister-in-law “found” Generation Cedar – YEAH!!!! love ya, Kimberly 🙂
Kim,
So glad you dropped in and I so appreciate your testimony. It’s beautiful to see how God can and does use our trials to comfort others we may never have imagined. Thank you!
I read your post and I just want to thank you for taking the time to do
what God call you to do, speak truth, and to share some knowledge.
Only what bring glory to Him is what count. May the Lord Jesus Christ
continue to bless you.
Please continue to speak truth and knowledge, and may His name be glorify.
Grace and love.
very good!