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Sweet and Sour
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Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd - Filed in Devotional - #Christian Devotional - 11,733 views
The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 NASB
There is a saying that you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Yet when I was growing up, most of the things that I heard about God were seasoned with vinegar. Sort of like: God does love you, but He will kill you if do not do what I said. Over the years, I have learned that God is not like that at all and that people will create a god for you, then want you to bow down to it much like Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:1).
It took years for me to put aside that baggage, and I still struggle against it even now. For some reason it is easy for us to believe that God is mean, or hates us, but hard to believe that He truly loves us. But this is what scripture teaches throughout. The first time that I read the Bible through, I was most amazed by what was not in there. So we have a choice: believe what we have been told is in the Bible, or believe what is actually in the Bible.
What is in there is this: God loves us with an everlasting love, and that love never changes based on your behavior. He does not love you more when you think you are good, or less when you think you are bad. He draws us with His loving kindness. When you fall, get up, He still loves you. The Lord is fresh out of vinegar. You will only find honey on His shelves.
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The lies that the enemy uses through others to get at us can be so destructive....I was told that Jesus couldn't hear me because I wasn't a Christian...I was told this as a ten year old. Broke my heart. Years later I heard that that wasnt so...thanks for your honesty Pastor Dion, regarding your own battle with old ideas of whom God is
Oh how I can relate! I was raised Catholic; attended Catholic school in the early '60's, so you can guess what I thought about God! I viewed Him as an austere old man with a long white beard and perpetual frown! My own father was also quite stern, so God seemed rather unapproachable until I began a relationship with Jesus. Thank you so much for the supportive, encouraging words to start my day with! I've been awake since 3:30 EST; my Uncle "Arthur-itis" woke me up again! LOL!
if i were not raised to believe God loved me and accepted me UNCONDITIONALLY i probably would not be here today. i honestly feel sorry for all the Catholics who are not taught to pray, read the Bible, to ask God in their own words what they wish for...my husband is very devout Catholic and he is learning through me-i am Methodist and went to Lutheran schools-how to pray, talk to God, meditate and read the Bible.
God is the only one in control-not religion
I was raised Catholic when the services were still in Latin. I was taught to fear the wrath of God. I got hold of a King James Version of the Bible in my teens and decided that there were so many differences in this Bible and my Catholic Bible that I politely brought up to my Dad. I told him I didn't want to go to church anymore. He told me he respected my decision and that I should decide for myself whether I should be Catholic or not. A few short years later I found Jesus. I embraced this new life of belonging to a Loving God. Still I struggle at times with fear that God is angry at me for my shortcomings. I go to Him in prayer for forgiveness and He never fails to fill me with his unconditional love!
I was a southern baptist when I was young as well and this is what I wrote from. There is nothing wrong with being a Baptist, there are some wonderful people there, but we watched videos about people burning in hell regularly, but it had no lasting effect. The night club was full the following night. I know little about Catholicism, but I believe that each denomination has its own issues with legalism, control, teaching traditions of men as scripture... :)
Dion, I am a Catholic and in my late 60's. The message I heard in church as a child was very different from the message I hear now about God loving us always. As a child it was more about do the right thing so He doesn't punish you, though the focus was never on fire and brimstone. I am also a mother and grandmother and this has helped me understand more God's love. As you say, if we can love our children no matter what, how much more God.
My parents were Christians and always tought us 4 children That we were special and that God created us for a purpose. My Dad would read Psalm 139 to us. I always knew in my heart that God created me and had a purpose for my life, for this I am very thankful. Even though I knew this as an adult I had to learn to trust Christ no matter what my circumstances are. I think God is more concerned about how we handle our circumstances than what our circumstances are. I know it is Gods love that holds us up and His Spirit teaches us how to live.
It is terrible when a young child grows up thinking all the fights and trouble in her family is her fault. Worse still when it carries over to any fighting done around her has to be her fault. If she had just done this or that no one would have been fighting. Or that when she was molested by her daddy that it was her fault. That her mommy wouldn't beleive her over him if she told. Or that living with a father that didn't really want her except to have a piece of his personal property to do with as he wanted. And on top of all of that she kept hearing in "Church" that she had to do as she was told, no matter what, because God wouldn't love her and/or would punish her otherwise.
Sorry, this really hit a sore, tender, painful spot in my heart. I was an adult, mother of two children, before I learned that all of that is NOT what God and His love is all about. Please, Pastor, continue reaching out through the web to reach all those that will take a glance at what you have to say. I know that someone, somewhere, will find the strength they need to know they are loved by our true Father in Heaven and are worth saving. Thank you.
Your words of people make a god they want you to believe in spoke to me with slant I have not thought of before.
I did not grow up in a Christian home. When we moved to a house where my Great aunt lived in I started to watch someone who lived for God. She slept in front room on third floor & I slept in room before her. I was 11 yrs old. I watched her read her Bible, listen to her pray at our table for dinner, and watched others walk thru my room to visit her. They were from the Salvation Army. My Great Aunt was the oldest senior in the army in our city. All were dressed in black with bonnets & Black heels. I learned as she told me she started with tambourine playing in bars at age 14. She married one time and their baby died & he left the marriage. A larger framed picture of a baby with wings sitting on a cloud hung on her wall. Before her we got dropped at a Baptist Church in the country where we use to live. I always new God was close...it helped. Much evil was around me in a very different way. When we moved to the city tipical every day worldly ways which I got mixed up in later.
You are such a blessing to my husband & I as we read your devotions together.
Thank you Pastor
Thank you for sharing your sore spot. A very sore spot! I watched my Mom when she got up with a purple face. My Dad also was verbally abusive. My brother fought with fists even into the gutter in front of our house. I personally wanted to beat him for my Mom. Yes things are there that are scars yet thanks to Jesus He really worked in me for years to get it out and to a forgiving spirit for my Dad.
A singer named Mandisa has a song I love....what scars are for....words I like are these......They remind me of Your faithfulness & all You brought me thru...they teach my brokenness is something You can use .....they show me where I've been & I'm not there any more. She has a well known song named Your an Overcomer. Love all her songs for they are real & feel the ministry in them. Maybe some of you have heard the song.
I struggled with thinking of God as a fiercely authoritative,disciplinarian.I thought He was always ready to punish us whenever we sinned, with little mercy. That way of thinking made me fearful and judgmental of others. It didn't help either having a dad that was negative,short tempered and judgmental himself. When I was a child though, he didn't seem that way. God has taught me through observation and experience that the pressures and failures of life can change people; unless they fully rely on God for help to deal with the circumstances of their lives. I'm thankful that Jesus drew me to him when I was a child,about 4 yrs.old in Sunday school,as we used to call it. He made me aware that He is real and that He loved me...
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