Following my Father

My son is almost 1 year old, and he often mimics what my wife and I do. Sometimes, this is good, or just adorable. But sometimes I do things I would not want him to mimic. I was reminded on Sunday of my heavenly Father's perfect actions and how I should be sure to follow his lead, not depending on my own strength or following other teachers. . .

Luke 6.35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

This was the core of the passage my pastor taught from this Sunday. (The whole passage was Luke 6.17-49.) This message left me reeling from a change in perspective that God brought to me through it. Earlier in the passage, Jesus says, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. . . But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation." (Luke 6.20, 24) At the beginning of the message, I was feeling quite rich in my own righteousness. I read the Bible every day, I pray, I even write a blog about God's words and work. But I am spiritually poor. I have nothing good of my own to bring to God, and I can't even satisfy my own needs with my own work.

I am not doing fine when I see the commands in this passage and try to fulfill them myself. That foolishly building my house on sand (Luke 6.49). But I am "blessed" and counted as a "son of the most high" when I recognize my abject poverty and allow it to drive me to depend on God's grace. Then, the things I do are out of imitation of the God who loves me and does good to me even when I rebel against his loving actions. I will treat others they way I ought to, with the sacrificial love of Jesus. And the house that rises is not a shack that washes away in the rain, but a strong shelter built on the foundation of Jesus' work. He perfectly did all that he preached in this passage, and when I accept his righteousness in trade for my own spiritual poverty, I am rich and well fed and filled with joy greater than any that I could ever obtain for myself!

Thank you, God, for again revealing my poverty and causing me to mourn my brokenness and hunger for your wholeness. Please keep reminding me that only you can bring me riches, nourishment, and joy that have no equal.