Growing Up

Today’s reading in God is Enough ends with, “There are a great many Christians who look at the Christian life as I, in my childish ignorance, looked at adult life; they think religion means to give up the things they love and to do the things they hate. They call this “taking up the cross” and actually think God enjoys their grudging service.”

Along with this author, this has not been my experience either, even though God’s commands sometimes bring a big sigh from my heart. This relationship with Him is the same as falling in love. How could I hate doing things for someone that I love deeply and totally? No matter what my beloved asks of me, I might sigh at times, but if I truly love Him I will be eager and quick to do His bidding.

I’ve found it interesting that Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding. While some struggle with the wine drinking thing and focus on trying to make that wine fit with their no drinking practice, I see this as Jesus announcing an important truth. He is showing me that with Him in my life I can expect joy and celebration, certainly not a life of drudging or grudging service.

In Psalm 40:8, David says, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” If the law of God in his heart gave David a desire, even a delight to do God’s will, how much more should having Jesus Christ in my heart make me love serving God, not hate it or think it was hard and not much fun?

While delighting to do His will is a reality, not everything God asks is easy. I suppose my best illustration is quilt making. Some involve simple patterns that are easy to construct and easy to apply finishing touches. Others are a huge challenge and have taken me years to complete. Yet regardless of the difficulty level or length of time required, I’ve enjoyed each one. I love making quilts. Serving God is supposed to be like that, not drudgery.

The analogy in the reading is interesting too. As a child, I did think I would never cease enjoying my play. However, growing up brought change. I can still play, but I do things that I would never be interested in or capable of as a child. When I became a Christian, I knew that my life had changed, yet at that time had no idea at that time how much more He would change me. As 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a (mature person), I put away childish things.”

In a relationship with Christ, desires and affections change, or they ought to. Because He lives in me, I should be content to do things that I once may have considered foolish or a waste of effort. He challenges me every day. Sometimes spiritual disciplines are often just that, disciplines, but this relationship is more like an adventure, and should never be drudgery or a reason to complain.

The devotional reading also says that because Jesus was dead to everything that was contrary to His Father’s will, He also delighted to do His will. His affections were set on just that; He came to do His Father’s will. He asks me to do the same thing. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24)

By doing that, I’m yielding all that childhood stuff, those things that belonged to a past life that I no longer live. Because of Him, why would I even be interested? He has produced a change and a growth.

That little girl who was once oblivious to the kingdom of her Father now knows a whole new way of living. He supplies all that I need, including the joy of obeying Him, and simply asks that I walk with Him in this new place—and grow up.