God is still God

Just a thought to ponder . . . no matter how I feel today, God is still God. How I feel doesn't change God's existence, character, or love for me. He always works "all things together for good to those who love God". Romans 8:28

God is the unchanging constant in life. Our emotions, or feelings, have ebb and flow and are always changing. I know this but when something happens that threatens me, I struggle. Here's what usually happens. A life event happens that I don't like. I have a negative flood of emotion. I panic . . .

I like to compare myself to Billy Bob Thornton who plays Davy Crockett in The Alamo. There's a line in the movie where he bravely says, "I've got to warn you, I'm a screamer!" The only difference between me and Billy Bob is that I scream because I'm chicken! Yup, that's me - a chicken screamer.

I've been praying about learning to deal with this flood of emotion. The cycle is almost always the same: bad thing happens, I assess that this cannot be good, I forget that God is working all things together for my good, panic, and then I react in a way that I wish I hadn't.

Somewhere in this scenario a major flaw in my thinking has occurred - I'm not understanding that regardless of the event, God is still God. I begin to look toward something else for life, security, love, value . . .

So, I'm practicing learning to think differently; then I can actually choose a godly response. So, bad thing happens, I look to God and say, "God, I'm so glad that You're in control and that You love me. You love me even though You know me. Thank You that I can relax and watch to see what You're about to do."

Actually, it goes something more like this. "God, are You seeing this?! Can You believe that such-and-such happened or so-and-so said that. I'm glad You're here, in control - taking care this. I'm glad that You love me even though You know me. Hey, that means that You love them even though You know them. What do You want me to do now? Relax and watch what You're about to do? Oh, makes sense."

Reality: God is good and big and in control. This nothing for Him.

Busted

I actually saw a kid who was "bustin' a sag" loose his sag - his shorts fell down around his knees! And being a "cool" kid, he actually refused to pull up his pants for several seconds - he walked down the street with his shorts around his knees. Wish I had a picture to share with you . . .

Tethering

A tether ball is a tall metal pole anchored in a tire that's filled with concrete and has a long rope attached from the top. Joined at the end of the rope is a volleyball. Two people stand on opposite sides of the pole and hit the ball. The object is to hit the ball winding it all the way around the pole. The players pound the ball trying to hit it above, below, or even through the other player. It's a great game to play when you need to unload stress.

I'm seeing 2 comparisons here. God is the pole. Relationship with God is the rope. We're the the ball. The world pounds us - trying to force us off course, to change direction, pounding us into surrendering.

Or, we're the pole, relationship with our kids is the rope, and our kids are the ball. The world pounds them - trying to force them off course, to change direction, pounding them into surrendering. . .

The culture our kids are growing up in is daunting. It is pounding into them that rules are irrelevant. Every rule can be bent or discarded. The new culture tells them that rules by nature are firmly fixed and therefore lack relationship with the topic at hand because relationship has give and flow and movement.

Maybe, the old culture pushed unholy rules too hard. I certainly can see that. I'm talking about rules made by people or churches or organizations and not made by God.

Josh McDowell said, "rules without relationship lead to rebellion". That causes me to pause and examine myself, my relationship (tether) with God, and my relationship (tether) with my children. By the way, tether is defined as a cord that anchors something movable to a stationary point. (pausing again)

The truth of this is hard. There are rules that are immovable. What is it that motivates Christians to obedience when the rules can't be bent? Why does David say that he loves God's law? (Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day.) It's the tether. It's our relationship with God. It's the fact that God chose us. He has chosen relationship with us. He chose to be born. He chose to be human like us. He chose to die - for us. He chose to bridge the gap of our sin by sending His own son to pay the price for our sin.

What does that mean for me and my relationship with God or my kids? (pausing) Well, I'm thinking that it's the pole that anchors the rope that tethers the ball.

God is the pole that anchors relationship that tethers me. God's heart toward me is to hold me and bring me into reconciliation with Him.

I'm the pole that anchors the relationship that tethers my kids. My heart toward my children should be to hold them and bring them into reconciliation with me and ultimately - with God.

God, give me grace to tether like You.