Friday, February 21st

Do you remember when you were a child and your dad would say, son or daughter, I would like to have a word with you? I do! The first thing that would come to my mind was, if dad wants to talk to me I must be in trouble. I would do anything to try to avoid him, even going to sleep early.

In the book of Genesis we discover that God created man in relationship to him and for a relationship with Him. A relationship not based upon anything we did, but a relationship based on who He is. In spite of that, mankind made a decision that would break their intimate relationship with God. From that moment on, mankind has tried to avoid God looking at Him skeptically.

The first thing Adam and Eve did after their bad decision was to hide from God. What once was a relationship characterized by trust and mutual acceptance now became a relationship characterized by fear, shame and skepticism. The interesting thing is that from the moment Adam and Eve made the decision that broke the intimate relationship with God, He embarked on an intense pursuit to reconnect with mankind. After many attempts to reconnect through prophets, judges, kings and even angels, mankind continued to treat God with skepticism. But God would not give in. He intensely wanted to reconnect with mankind, so He sent His only son Jesus. Through Him we get a glimpse into what God is like, a glimpse into how God thinks of us. On one occasion Jesus described God as a mother hen attempting to gather her chicks, to love and protect them. On another occasion He described God as a father who’s son had left Him. Each day he would wait for his son hoping that he would return, and not because the father was mad at the bad decisions his son had made. The father waited because in spite of his son’s bad decisions, He still loved his him.

You see, you don’t need not to be skeptical of God. He’s not mad at you. He’s in love with you. Yes you’ve made some bad decisions, but he still loves you. You don’t need to avoid Him. He accepts you just the way you are.

Bible reading
John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Heavenly Father thank you that even though sometimes I can be suspicious, You never give up on loving me and picking me up every time I fall. Help me to trust in you every day. Thanks for pursuing an intimate relationship with me and accepting me as I am.