Created…… For What?

John and Mary have been married 3 years and are now having one of the most important conversations of their life together. Let's listen in.

John:  You know, Mary, we've done well these past 3 years. Everything is going according to our plan. We both have good jobs and we paid off our cars last year. This year we moved into our new dream house. I think it's time we get a servant to help us clean and cook.

Mary:  That's a great idea John! Let's have a child! They will obey our commands and serve us all the days of their life.

John:  We will feed, clothe and shelter them and in return, every day they will thank us and sing songs about how wonderful we are!

Mary:  We will keep track of their faults and failures and be sure to point them out, so they can improve their performance over time. Having a child will be great!

How would you like to be John and Mary's child? Born to serve. Expected to be thankful for every scrap of food, every night of shelter. Constantly examined for errors, faults and mistakes. Is this why people have children?

Think for a moment. For what reason do most people have children? If you are a parent, for what reason did you have your children? When asked this question, researchers found that the vast majority of parents responded that they had a child for joy, as an expression of their mutual love and from the desire to give life to another. Parents also look forward to being able to instill values in their children and to love and provide for them.

Anyone who has children knows that being a parent is more about giving than it is receiving. Children are expensive. They can break a parent’s heart. They are frequently frustrating and often don't appreciate the sacrifices parents make for them. Yet, in spite of this, parents find plenty to love in their children.

There is the joy of watching their children grow and develop their own skills and unique personality, and on occasion, the glimpses parents see of themselves in their children. There are those moments when they see their children imitating mommy or daddy's behaviors out of admiration. Then, of course, there are the smiles, the hugs and the laughter which lights up the room frequently.

As human parents we understand these things but, strangely, when we consider Abba God, we tend to see His motives more like John and Mary. He created us to obey and serve Him, to worship and praise Him and to be corrected by Him when we fall short. But is this really what God created us for?

Genesis 1:26 states that God created us in His image to be like Him. He wanted us to share His nature and the quality of His divine life with Him. He wanted us to prosper, to spend our life in a loving community He called family and to experience the responsibility and mastery of taking care of the rest of creation.

Revelation 4:11 tells us: “For You created all things, and they exist because You created what pleased You and what You wanted.” Bottom line, Abba God wanted you to come into being, and loving and providing for you gives Him joy!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM as we conclude our series on “Father God Really Loves You!” My sermon this week is titled “Abba God Desires to Bless His Children!”

Pastor Che