On the way up here to Calgary, I finished reading a truly remarkable book. In the forward to Loving Our Kids On Purpose, by Danny Silk, Bill Johnson says, “This book is so profound I wish I could make it required reading for all believers, not just parents.” I was intrigued by that comment and wondered if it could be true. Now that I have read the book, I know it is! It is not only filled with remarkably practical wisdom for parents, it is also one of the very best explanations I have ever read of how to live the New Covenant life that Jesus offers to us!
Far too many—perhaps most—believers still live their lives as if they were living B.C., believing that God uses external control (rewards and punishment) to “control behavior” rather inviting us to respond to Him in love. But as Danny Silk writes on page 43 of his book, “In the New Covenant, God relates to the believer in a new way, through writing His “law on our hearts and minds.” When the law is written on our hearts and minds and when God Himself dwells in us, we no longer need to be controlled from the outside…
God is a safe place. Because sin has been dealt with in the New Covenant, we no longer need to be punished or controlled but need to learn to manage our freedom responsibly, which changes the goal of government as well as parenting. When love and freedom replace punishment and fear as the motivating forces in the relationship between parent and child, the quality of life improves dramatically for all involved.”
Reading this book sent me reviewing things in my journal about obedience that flows from love. I share with you some of these. The blue text are words I sense the Father saying to me. Obviously they always need to be weighed carefully, but I offer them to you as they came to me.
March 3, 2008
“Yes, child, the 'problem' is that you still have not tasted of my goodness. You have settled for crumbs from my table, for wading in the shallows. But I hear your deepest heart cry—it is music to me—and I will take you all the way in. I will! Fly, waking Eagle, fly! Fly...
“Yes, child, when you surrender, you surrender to my goodness even when it appears otherwise. You surrender to my very best, my highest and most beneficial purposes!
“Child, I hear your heart's concerns for people like ____; and every heartbeat of concern in my presence I count as the most lovely and simple childlike prayer. It's the love behind the words that moves my heart, not their eloquence or accuracy. It's the listening for my heart that leads you farther in the journey of prayer. I am listening to your heart, child, even as I teach you to hear mine!”
Reflection: Obedience that does not flow from a truly trusting, surrendered will is not obedience at all. It’s compliance, but it is not obedience. The obedience that Jesus offered to his Abba in Gethsemane had to be completely freely chosen and not under compulsion or the whole thing would have fallen apart. What a remarkable thought! That the Son of God in all his humanity calling out to his Father with the tenderest of terms: “Abba”—there in that most intimate moment, he surrendered his will to his Father's will. There the battle was truly won. There love had its fullest expression. Why then do we think that obedience to God should be any different for us? Any obedience we give that does not come from truly listening, truly loving, truly trusting, but instead is forced, is not obedience at all and brings the Father no pleasure.
July 7, 2008
Abba, I sense you singing over me…
“Yes, child, the joy you feel when your son listens to you and actually does what you say, is my joy when you do the same. It is I that you hear singing over you this morning. You are indeed beginning to understand and practice wholehearted obedience, and that out of love and reverence for me, and I am singing! And I have so, so much more for you, little one, as you (finally) begin to truly yield and follow me with all of your heart! Watch what I do, little Eagle!”
July 16, 2008
Father, the OT prophets and others seemed to hear you only occasionally and see things only at your bidding (with some rare exceptions like Moses, David and Elisha). As I pondered this, I think you said,
“Servants hear only when the Master has instructions, child, but children have the privilege of hearing Father’s voice often. Indeed, anytime they wish to ‘run in’ and converse, they can. Yes, child, even today many function only as servants and not as my friends, my sons and daughters. Even you lived that way once, and you are still very much learning to live as a son. But I will teach you!”
June 11, 2009
And I still struggle to hear you well enough to know… well, one year ago, Stan was still alive; today He is alive with you but gone from here, and I still don’t know what went wrong. And others are close to death and I still can’t hear you for them! Yet if I try to figure this out (which I am prone to do), I get confused and frustrated. I must learn—by your grace I will learn—how to live saturated and surrendered in the moment!
“Child, have you forgotten how to dance? Have you forgotten that it’s about flying? Danny’s book is given to you at this time to remind you once again that it’s about relationship with me, not performance. Yes, I AM GOD, and to obey me is all that matters and the wisest course for any human’s life. But consider the life of my Son—His obedience was joyful, flowing, alive with desire and delight! Why? Because He knew how to fly, how to live in my Presence, and my Presence is good beyond your comprehension. Fly, Eagle, fly! I will take care of course corrections. You don’t do well at that, little one. Consider what I have just said to you through Andrew Murray today! Little one, it brings me joy to see joy in you, just like Ashley’s joy brings you joy! Fly, beloved Eagle. If you follow my Wind, you won’t stray off course, and it’s an intimately connected journey for you, not merely a job to be done! Fly!”
July 2, 2009
I wrote, “Ah, Papa! You have called me to perfect obedience, flowing from knowledge or your goodness and love, and any time I vary from that, your love makes me very aware of this very quickly! Thank you! But the awareness needs to be of your goodness missed, I think, not merely or mostly an awareness of my failure to obey!
Wow! I think I am finally beginning to understand the following words from Jeremiah!
“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV)
More next week!
Tom, one of Abba's children
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