It is so much fun to watch my kids become adults.
It is a joy to see what they are becoming.
My oldest son turns 18 next month and will be a senior in high school. He has a lot of freedom now. He goes where he chooses. He makes decisions that affect other people. He uses his time how he chooses to use it.
And it is a delight to my heart to see what he does.
You could say how he is living, his choices and such are a kind of gift to me for all those years of growing up, of caring for him, of meeting his needs. Seeing him live is better than any present he could give me.
This is how it is for us and God the Father or should be.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8:6, "yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."
We are here for Father God. We are here because He chose to create us. And we can be gifts to Him, we can please His heart by how we choose to live, by the choices we make, by believing in Him no matter what.
Are we doing that?
Jesus says in John 16:27, "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father."
Start with knowing God really really really loves you. If you really really really believe that that will affect how you relate to God.
If my kids think I'm watching their every move just so I can keep them in line, just so I can correct them, they aren't going to be to joyful in their interactions with me.
But when they know they are really really really loved they are free to be themselves.
That's where we have to be with Father God.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
And the next step is to believe He means what He says all the time -- meaning His word is true. His promises are true. Then live this way. Don't just say you believe His promises. Act like you do. Sometimes we may not emotionally feel full of faith but that doesn't mean we can't act by faith.
Think of what the father of the sick son said to Jesus in Mark 9:24:
"I do believe; help my unbelief."
Those two steps will help you be a gift to Father God.
Wow. We can really make Father God happy -- think on that. You and I can make the Creator of all smile!