Growing Up
Today’s devotional was written by my son, Clark Wrather, who is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The title and Scripture have been added.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. – Hebrews 5:12-13.
I have been taking my son, Madison, with me to football games for many years. When he was around two years old, having him with me seemed like some kind of punishment from God at times. As he has grown older, he has become more mature and his behavior has improved.
Madison no longer spills his Dr. Pepper on the people in front of us or throws his popcorn at the people five rows below us. He used to have a real problem with eating popcorn and candy that had been spilled onto the concrete bleachers, even when someone else had spilled it. Thankfully, he’s been out of diapers for years, but I used to have that joy as well at football games.
Somewhere along the way, Madison matured on me. It has been wonderful to have someone to send to the concession stand. A few weeks ago at a game, Madison tapped me on the shoulder. I looked over at him and asked if he needed anything. He said, “Dad, I think they’re going to pass this time.” He blew me away with what he said. It was third and a bus ride for the team he was talking about and they were most likely going to pass. Somehow, the baby/trial had changed into a friend/helper at football games. It was strange.
Where are you in your relationship with God? Throughout the Bible, we are told that God has a father/child relationship with us. Are you a baby/trial for your Heavenly Father? Do you do things that embarrass Him when He takes you out in public? Or have you grown and matured spiritually? Have you progressed beyond being a baby/trial and moved to the helper/friend stage in your relationship with God? Do you help God when you are able to do so? Do you understand what he is doing in your life and the world well enough to talk with him about it?
I’m just thankful that Madison matured some, because I have two more who are in the eating off the ground stage. What would we do if our kids didn’t grow up? I wonder how our Heavenly Father deals with all of His children who never grow a day older.
(We should grow not only physically but also spiritually.)