Disconnect
In our early years, the only God we knew was our parents. Ideally, parents are servants of God and are godly role models for their children. But, all too often, this is not the case. Many children are seriously abused, even by parents who are professed Christians. As children, we could not readily discern whether our parents were following God, or not, in the way they treated us. In fact, our parents were as gods to us, when we were very young.
As a result, many have grown up with a skewed view of God. But it didn't end there. As we became older, we've seen other professed Christians acting in ways that that just didn't seem right. They may have even been abusive toward us. With all this evil coming at us from role-models that have largely formed our view of God, is it any wonder that so many have turned to gods other than the God of the Bible?
Many spend a lifetime searching for peace and joy in all the wrong places, because of a skewed view of the one and only God who can give them peace, joy, and a life of fulfillment -- the God of the Bible -- the God of true Christianity.
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." ( Philippians 4:19 ). He says, "... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" ( Hebrews 13:5 ). "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." ( Jeremiah 29:11-13 ). "... and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" ( Matthew 28:20 ).
With a God like that, maybe it is time to make a disconnect between the behavior of our former (maybe even present) "role-models" and the character of the God of the Bible -- the God of the Universe. The character of this God is what defines the word 'Love'. Like the Prodigal Son ( Luke 15:10-24 ), maybe it is time for us to come home to our loving Father who is waiting patiently to see us turn toward Him, so that He can run to us with arms open wide. He longs to envelop us in His love and to cover us with the robe of Christ's righteousness ( 1 John 1:9 ).
"I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
For as the earth bringeth forth its bud,
and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth;
so the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
( Isaiah 61:10-11 )