I believe there's a reason the chief imagery God uses as his relationship to us is that of a parent. I'm learning more about God as a parent. I'm learning what it means to be God's child.
First, if you're not a parent, don't run off thinking this isn't for you. You are a child of God, your Heavenly Father, so this is most definitely about you. And, I hope I can give you a little glimpse into the heart of a parent which might give all of us a glimpse into God's heart.
Being a parent is hard. You have this child and everything they call 'theirs' is because you have either provided it for them or allowed them to have it. Even the gifts from family are only there because you have allowed them. They own nothing, but they think they own everything. They live in your house, and you provide things for them that they don't even think about: water, heat, A/C, electricity and food. You understand these things have a cost. They think they are entitled to them.
You also love them, so this is no big deal. And you love them all the same, no matter how many kids you have. And you appreciate they are different. You love what makes them each unique. Your heart drops to the most bottom pit of your stomach when you think they are seriously injured, sick or that time you couldn't find them at the grocery story for, like, 90 seconds. The thought of them being lost or getting hurt or sick or dying are literally like the worst things you can possibly think of. You just want them to live and be happy.
You think you know what will make them happy. You do. You set up rules to protect them from bodily harm, and you set up parameters to guard their hearts and emotions. You understand they are delicate. You want to shield them from danger. You also have rules that will build the right kind of character they'll need later in life. Some of them are kind of silly, but they'll seem much more important later on when the decisions and relationships get bigger and more important.
But you have a problem: you can't make them do anything. In fact, it takes about six months for their own free will to show up and it only gets stronger. You can't make them be grateful for what they have been given and show that in their actions with gratitude. You can't make them obey you and do what will ultimately be in their best interest. You can't make them to anything. They are free. And your heart breaks for them when they make bad decisions because you know what's best for them and you can kind of see the future if this decision was about something more important, maybe even life threatening.
You could scare them into listening because you are bigger and louder, but you don't want them to be afraid of you. You want them to have a healthy, respectful fear of disappointing you, but not be afraid of you. For you first inclination toward them is love, so you don't want that. So you just keep trying to interject influence. That's all you can do -- influence them. You can surround them with good influences and keep interjecting yourself into their lives. You become ever-present and wait for them to ask you for advice -- finally. And you always forgive them, because they're your kid.
Every single one of us is that child to God. He has provided us with things we take for granted (like, you know, air). He has given us parameters that are in our best interest. And he could scare us to death if he showed us his face and how hurt he was when we don't obey. It's not in His nature. He loves us, and he'll keep seeking to influence us because he can't and won't make us love him. Have you asked him for advice...finally? Do you know that He'd forgive you?
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