If someone someday cracks the genetic code and creates a cat which remains a kitten, never growing into an adult, that would be an outrage, a travesty and an offense against Creation. And I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
What's cuter than a kitten with its big eyes, big head, and little legs and body wandering around the home trying to make sense of its world? And who doesn't absolutely adore a kitten climbing into their lap and curling up for a nap. So tiny and helpless, vulnerable and trusting.
The pleasure I feel when a kitten curls up next to me must be the same sort of pleasure that God feels when I mentally "curl up" next to him. I love it when a kitten or puppy trusts me enough to pull up close. So why wouldn't God feel the same when I pull in close to him?
We must become like children to enter the kingdom of God. Or like kittens.
Several years ago the local college team was stocked with several top-tier running backs. A reporter asked the coach how he intended to keep all the backs happy, what with their shared playing time. The coach's answer was life transforming. He said, "I believe it's their job to keep ME happy. Isn't that how it works?"
How many times have I come to God whining about how I wasn't happy. While he did indeed minister to me, the real problem was my mindset. It isn't his job to make me happy. It never was. It's mine to make him happy. Isn't that how it works?
Yet I'm so busy working the world system trying to please myself. And it doesn't work. God knows we can't find joy or peace trying to please ourselves. We're too fickle and demanding. But he is so easy to please. God has hard-wired us to find our joy in him. We can fight it (and be miserable) or accept it and be transformed.
This world seems to define success as accumulating wealth or status or pleasures which don't satisfy, but God's success...real and true success... is growing closer to him. In gauging our success, we're oftentimes guilty of watching the wrong scoreboard. I'm going to say that again. We are often guilty of watching the wrong scoreboard...job titles, bank statements or party invitations...rather than watching the true scoreboard...which is, "God, are you and I becoming closer?"
Here's the trick, and it's crucial to catch a fine distinction. Say I hand a homeless guy my lunch. Good thing, right? But if I'm doing it to coerce God into liking me...using it as a bargaining chip for benefits, then the homeless guy gets a free lunch and God rejects my gift to Him. Wrong motivation. It's not a gift based on faith and gratitude, but on manipulation, which he sees through and rejects. (I'm going to expand on this thought at The Very Bottom Of This.)
But if I hand a homeless guy my ham on rye as a response to how much God has blessed me, in effect thanking God for what he's already done, that's a gift God accepts and things like that transform our relationship. That subtle difference is everything.
As I become closer to God, I find myself looking for ways to please him and not myself. And that's where I find joy, peace and satisfaction.
And how can I do that? Well, I can start off by being like that kitten...
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The Very Bottom Of This: Just want to sketch out the picture of God's grace. When we accept the life of God's son Jesus into our hearts and minds, then we are completely loved and completely secure in God. Any attempt to increase that love and security with "good works" shows a disbelief that God has already given the 100%, which he has. He can't and won't give any more. Just believe and accept. Definitely do NOT try to earn it.
You might say this is a place where you should live in the past. God's love was offered to you, and when you accept, it's 100% finalized. There is never a need to repair, rework, or renegotiate...only just a need to remind ourselves that we can never be outside his love and protection again.
On the other hand, if someone has not accepted the life and person of Jesus into their hearts, then it would be foolish to think their good works...any amount of time, money, energy, prayer, church attendance, etc., would be enough to earn even a tiny fraction of God's gift of Jesus. You can accept God's love for you. You can reject God's love for you. But you cannot earn God's love. Don't even try.
Here's the trick, and it's crucial to catch a fine distinction. Say I hand a homeless guy my lunch. Good thing, right? But if I'm doing it to coerce God into liking me...using it as a bargaining chip for benefits, then the homeless guy gets a free lunch and God rejects my gift to Him. Wrong motivation. It's not a gift based on faith and gratitude, but on manipulation, which he sees through and rejects. (I'm going to expand on this thought at The Very Bottom Of This.)
But if I hand a homeless guy my ham on rye as a response to how much God has blessed me, in effect thanking God for what he's already done, that's a gift God accepts and things like that transform our relationship. That subtle difference is everything.
As I become closer to God, I find myself looking for ways to please him and not myself. And that's where I find joy, peace and satisfaction.
And how can I do that? Well, I can start off by being like that kitten...
---
The Very Bottom Of This: Just want to sketch out the picture of God's grace. When we accept the life of God's son Jesus into our hearts and minds, then we are completely loved and completely secure in God. Any attempt to increase that love and security with "good works" shows a disbelief that God has already given the 100%, which he has. He can't and won't give any more. Just believe and accept. Definitely do NOT try to earn it.
You might say this is a place where you should live in the past. God's love was offered to you, and when you accept, it's 100% finalized. There is never a need to repair, rework, or renegotiate...only just a need to remind ourselves that we can never be outside his love and protection again.
On the other hand, if someone has not accepted the life and person of Jesus into their hearts, then it would be foolish to think their good works...any amount of time, money, energy, prayer, church attendance, etc., would be enough to earn even a tiny fraction of God's gift of Jesus. You can accept God's love for you. You can reject God's love for you. But you cannot earn God's love. Don't even try.
