Being a parent, you come to learn that there is a wide chasm between what our children need and what they want. Or as my mother would often respond to my request, “You need that like you need another hole in the head.”
Not only is there a chasm between what children want and need but there can also be a gap between what they fear and what is real. Remember being a child and seeing a monster in the dark only to have the lights turned on to find out it is just a jacket hanging on a chair.
If we are honest these gaps between want and need – fear and real, do not only apply to our children but all of God’s children struggle with them. To be specific we many times struggle with them when it comes to God Himself.
Want
Many of us want or like to think of God as a benevolent old grandpa. Were you blessed to have one of these growing up?
A benevolent old grandpa is one who comes around sporadically, on special occasions. When they do show up, they come bearing gifts. They are always so happy to see you, want to hear about all the great things you have done and are so proud of you. If you want anything just ask them.
Need
What we need God to be is a father. A father ought to love and provide, be just and merciful, be demanding and patient. As George MacDonald would often note, every father is pleased with his son’s first step, but will not be satisfied until he walks as a man. “God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy.”
God as Father, loves us where we are at, but loves us to much to leave us there. He has so much more planned.
The late Rich Mullins wrote my favorite song, “Hold Me Jesus.” In there he says, “I’d rather fight you for something I don’t really want, then take from you what I need.” AMEN. Father knows best, yet we want what we want.
Fear
It is easy to fall into this one, we fear that God is more like the tax man. Always looking for any and every mistake. Waiting to pounce in order to exact justice which always comes in the form of punishment.
We fear that God is always angry with us and that He never really forgets our past transgressions. I mean how can God ‘forget’ since He is all knowing. [Please note I am not discussing ‘fear of the Lord’ which is a virtue but this false unhealthy fear that leads us away from the Lord.]
Real
What God really is in the REAL, is Abba…father, better translated to a modern rendering of ‘daddy.’ He is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps 145:8).
When we repent and ask for forgiveness, forgiveness is given quickly without the reluctant grudge. “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Ps 103:12).
Have you ever fallen into these gaps of the “God we want” or the “God we fear”? If so, imagine how easy it is for those who have never meet Him or had an encounter with Him!
Everyone NEEDS what the REAL God is. And that remains our duty and JOY to share this with all of God’s children.