Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Love or Compliance by Todd Pierce
Hi, everyone!
I am so glad we have a Father whose goal with us is intimate relationship, not compliance. I think it is important to stay mindful that if God's goal was to make you follow the rules, He could do it. Instead, He prefers the inside out approach. He knows that if we will learn to have confidence in His love for us and respond to that love with the same longings as He has, we won't be able to help but be holy. His goal is intimacy with us.
This has profound effect on every area of our existence when we realize that this can become the same pattern for our lives and relationships. Let me give you an example. My sons all have very strong and energetic personalities and I used to think that my job as their Father was to get them to obey the rules of our house. Do this! Don't do that! Although I owe it to them to teach them right from wrong and give them instruction, it can never be the goal of my interactions with them. If obedience is my goal, then I will get it - for a while anyway. If I take our Father's model, I will make sure that my focus is on building a heart connection through the instruction and guard it above all else. Consider: Jesus said "If you love me, you will obey me." He didn't say "Obey me to prove you love me." If we have a love relationship with Him, the consequence will be obedience. Do you think God is focused on getting you to obey Him or to love Him?
Your brother,
Todd Pierce
Hi, everyone!
I am so glad we have a Father whose goal with us is intimate relationship, not compliance. I think it is important to stay mindful that if God's goal was to make you follow the rules, He could do it. Instead, He prefers the inside out approach. He knows that if we will learn to have confidence in His love for us and respond to that love with the same longings as He has, we won't be able to help but be holy. His goal is intimacy with us.
This has profound effect on every area of our existence when we realize that this can become the same pattern for our lives and relationships. Let me give you an example. My sons all have very strong and energetic personalities and I used to think that my job as their Father was to get them to obey the rules of our house. Do this! Don't do that! Although I owe it to them to teach them right from wrong and give them instruction, it can never be the goal of my interactions with them. If obedience is my goal, then I will get it - for a while anyway. If I take our Father's model, I will make sure that my focus is on building a heart connection through the instruction and guard it above all else. Consider: Jesus said "If you love me, you will obey me." He didn't say "Obey me to prove you love me." If we have a love relationship with Him, the consequence will be obedience. Do you think God is focused on getting you to obey Him or to love Him?
Your brother,
Todd Pierce
Labels: compliance, goal, intimate, love, obey, relationships
posted by Todd # 9:50 AM 
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