{"id":25402,"date":"2019-03-30T03:30:59","date_gmt":"2019-03-30T10:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=25402"},"modified":"2019-03-28T13:44:46","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T20:44:46","slug":"march-30-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2019\/03\/30\/march-30-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"March 30, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cAnd they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands\u2026 \u2018And I (God) will carry you away beyond Babylon.\u2019\u201d <\/em>Acts 7:41-43<\/p>\n

Kicking and Screaming<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This scenario may be familiar to you. A father asks his child to pick up his toys. Instead of being obedient, the child throws a fit. He cries, stomps his little feet, and crosses his arms in front of him. His bottom lip juts out in a giant pout. There is no question in the father\u2019s mind that his child is being willful and must be trained to do what is right.<\/p>\n

What is this good father to do? Win the battle of wills, of course. After fair warning, the father picks up his now-kicking and screaming little one and carries him away from this place of disobedience into a chair where the child must sit for a period of time.<\/p>\n

How long will he have to be in this seclusion, cut off from his father\u2019s affection, attention, and blessing? That depends more on the child\u2019s response than on the father\u2019s whims. Unknown to the child, who only knows he is in the Thinking-It-Over Chair, the father is watching his child for signs of repentance. He waits for the pout to disappear, the rigid, defiant shoulders to relax, the stiff neck to soften, the spirit to become yielded to the father\u2019s will, the tears to change from angry and rebellious to tender and brokenhearted with the realization he has brought this trouble upon himself.<\/p>\n

The child\u2019s willfulness has broken fellowship with his father. Finally, yielded to his father, he whimpers, \u201cDaddy, hold me.\u201d This good father goes immediately to his son, scoops him up in his strong arms, smothers him with hugs and smooches, and reassures him of his love. All is well again in the child\u2019s world. He gladly picks up his toys, for he has been restored. His mind and heart are engaged again with his father.<\/p>\n

God is our wise parent who knows that sin must be driven from us. This is what He did\u2014over and over and over again\u2014with the children of Israel. This is why He \u201ccarried them away beyond Babylon<\/em>.\u201d They would not stop sinning. After so long a time in Babylon, their stiff neck had softened, their defiance had left them, and their spirit was again yielded to the Father\u2019s will. The nation of Israel never again walked that path of worshiping idols. God brought them back to their land and gladly fulfilled His covenant with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cFather, we want to walk in glad obedience to Your will. If you find any wicked ways in us, we ask You to teach us by whatever means You must, that we may live a life that is pleasing to You. Don\u2019t turn Your back on us and leave us to our own ways! In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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