It's not too late.
First-time obedience doesn’t come naturally to anyone, especially two-year-olds. Isabel loves to wait until the last possible second to follow instructions. I may ask her to do something two or three times, all the while she smiles and politely ignores my instruction. But the moment I move toward her, her tune changes: “I do it! I do it!”
In an act of grace, I will sometimes let it go at that, if she is really doing it. On other occasions, in the midst of an already long and trying day, consequences for her delayed obedience (translation: disobedience) are required. My response is simple: “It’s too late.”
At that, Isabel begins crying frantically, “It’s not too late! Mama, it’s not too late. I do it now!”
Does that sound like you and me? It is human nature to push the limits -- perhaps that is an unfair statement. There may be some people somewhere who find being good the easiest course of action. I, however, am not one of them. I love trying new things and I love getting into trouble. Most of us want to get as close to danger as possible without having to pay any consequences. We want to touch the fire without getting burnt.
Too often, we don’t recognize the true danger until it is too late. We stand there, clothes singed and smoking, proclaiming “It’s not too late! I’m okay. I can handle the heat.”
Truth is: God knows us better than we do. He knows what we can handle and what we can’t. With this knowledge, He instructs us.
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” – 1 Timothy 6:11 (NIV)
God doesn’t encourage us to test the limits. Instead, He tells us to “flee”; to run in the opposite direction. He tells us what to avoid and what to run toward: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. That’s a mighty list! It should keep us busy; busy enough to forget about the fires tempting us.
Sometimes, though, the temptations are so great, the sin so deep, we feel like it is too late. It never truly is. Our God is bigger and stronger than anything we have or may ever encounter. He is the Creator! The mountains bow down to Him and so shall anything that encumbers us.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
God will never give us anything we cannot handle with His help. Now, when you recognize that nothing is impossible for God, then you realize that we may have to face quite a lot! But He will always provide an escape. What comes shall pass and all is for our good. Let us pray that we will not fall into temptation. If we do fall, let us pray for the courage and strength to flee from it quickly; to escape through the way God provides.
It is not too late to seek God. It is not too late to be freed from whatever entangles us. May we today run in the opposite direction of what tempts us; toward what makes us right with God.
In an act of grace, I will sometimes let it go at that, if she is really doing it. On other occasions, in the midst of an already long and trying day, consequences for her delayed obedience (translation: disobedience) are required. My response is simple: “It’s too late.”
At that, Isabel begins crying frantically, “It’s not too late! Mama, it’s not too late. I do it now!”
Does that sound like you and me? It is human nature to push the limits -- perhaps that is an unfair statement. There may be some people somewhere who find being good the easiest course of action. I, however, am not one of them. I love trying new things and I love getting into trouble. Most of us want to get as close to danger as possible without having to pay any consequences. We want to touch the fire without getting burnt.
Too often, we don’t recognize the true danger until it is too late. We stand there, clothes singed and smoking, proclaiming “It’s not too late! I’m okay. I can handle the heat.”
Truth is: God knows us better than we do. He knows what we can handle and what we can’t. With this knowledge, He instructs us.
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” – 1 Timothy 6:11 (NIV)
God doesn’t encourage us to test the limits. Instead, He tells us to “flee”; to run in the opposite direction. He tells us what to avoid and what to run toward: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. That’s a mighty list! It should keep us busy; busy enough to forget about the fires tempting us.
Sometimes, though, the temptations are so great, the sin so deep, we feel like it is too late. It never truly is. Our God is bigger and stronger than anything we have or may ever encounter. He is the Creator! The mountains bow down to Him and so shall anything that encumbers us.
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
God will never give us anything we cannot handle with His help. Now, when you recognize that nothing is impossible for God, then you realize that we may have to face quite a lot! But He will always provide an escape. What comes shall pass and all is for our good. Let us pray that we will not fall into temptation. If we do fall, let us pray for the courage and strength to flee from it quickly; to escape through the way God provides.
It is not too late to seek God. It is not too late to be freed from whatever entangles us. May we today run in the opposite direction of what tempts us; toward what makes us right with God.
Labels: obedience, temptation
2 Comments:
You're so right; it is not too late, not when we have His loving discipline. "He disciplines those He loves," just like you do with your daughter...you're not saying to her that it's too late for her, you're telling her that it's too late to avoid discipline. But discipline, although not joyful in the moment, brings forth wonderful temptation-busting fruit in our lives.
Tanya ... what a wonderful analogy. And it is so true.
Very creative post.
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