I've been contemplating God as our father for many weeks now. Every time I turn around, I hear a song, read something or hear a sermon that directs my thinking back to God, as my father, my parent.
In fact, parenting has been uppermost in my thinking lately as we are in the thick of it with two teenagers.
One of my favorite things about parenting them is when Rodger and I can take each of them out for a meal, just mom and dad and one son, and see the floodgates open up as they realize they have our undivided attention and can talk about anything they want. It's at these times we discover a little more of their uniqueness and their hopes and dreams for their futures.
Andrew: "I don't really have any idea what I want to be yet. I kinda get worried about that and a little scared when you start talking about visiting colleges." and "School rocks!"
Stephen: "Mom, I think "A" is a really sad boy. He's negative about everything" and "I think I'd like to be a professional soccer player and then, when I'm too old to do that, I'll work with animals."
I love most when they are enthusiastic about something, anything! I love hearing their views on life and their dreams!
So, I wonder why I treat God, my heavenly Father, as if bringing my hopes and dreams to Him is an inconvenient thing that He might rather not listen to? Why do I act like asking Him to bring about our "BHAG's"(our Worldventure President uses this expression for "Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals") is something that's of us instead of something that He put in us? Why do I "tone it down" instead of approaching Him, jumping up and down with excitement, over our hopes and dreams for our work in Mozambique? Didn't He already teach us to pray, "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven"?
And are we grasping the truth of I John 5:14,15 that says "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask ANYTHING according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of Him."?
I love to hear whatever is on the minds of Andrew and Stephen, listen to the things they dream of, enjoy the things that are enjoyable to them, bask in their words that show me their thoughtfulness, tenderness, even their silliness. When they are sharing their hearts with me, do I thump them on the head and say, 'Stupid child, that will never work. Stop dreaming those dreams!' No, I smile and listen with great delight that they trust me enough to not keep it to themselves, but share it with their mom.
Today, I choose to believe that God, our heavenly Father, loves to hear our dreams and hopes for the people of Mozambique. That He is also working on our behalf to provide the means that seem so far out of our realm of possibility. I will choose to boldly ask Him for changed hearts and a changed Mozambique, for HIS glory.
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20,21
