Column Post by Glenda Harbinson
I grew up believing we’re supposed to read our Bibles every day, and best if we do it first thing in the morning. After all, time with our Savior should be our first priority, right?
I don’t teach my children this.
Allow me to explain.
I believe my relationship with Jesus is first and foremost just that: RELATIONSHIP. I need to know Jesus personally, intimately, as a daughter knows her daddy. For a long time that was how I wanted to know God, but because I had never had a daddy relationship I struggled with it on many levels.
Picture a young lady just moved away from home who loves her daddy with all her being and knows he would do anything in his power to keep her safe. He has protected her, disciplined her in love, taught her, has been everything a little girl could ask for. A stretch for some of us, but follow me if you will.
This young lady has to make decisions that are challenging for her, but she considers for a moment what her daddy would want her to do, and because she has a relationship with him it allows her to know just what he wants for her. She follows what she knows, and makes good decisions based on the guidance he has given her for the years he was there to teach her.
This girl didn’t sit and read a letter from her daddy that morning, though she has likely pored over letters he has sent her in the past. She has his words and his love in her heart, engrained. This is what God wants with us!
He wants us to know Him so intimately that we know what He wants for us, that we can make good decisions because we know HIS heart, His desires. Yes, we must pray and seek His wisdom, yet knowing God we can usually know what He would want for us. We can quickly say “no” without hesitation because we know it would hurt our Abba Daddy.
I am not saying we don’t need to take time in God’s Word. That is our Daddy’s love letter to us and we need to spend time absorbing what He teaches us; how else will we enter this relationship with Him?
Most importantly we must understand Gods love for us and His desire for RELATIONSHIP. All the reading in the World won’t do us a bit of good if we don’t have relationship with Jesus. He doesn’t want us to feel we must simply sit and read–He wishes relationship with us.
I am currently working on an amazing reading program that I would be thrilled to share with anyone who is interested. I am learning and growing like never before. I am no longer pressured to perform. I am longing for more because I am in love with my Abba Daddy.
I invite you into relationship with Him, too.
. . . . . . . . . .
P.S. We’d love to know your thoughts, so please be sure to comment below. Each of our commenters will be entered in a drawing for our current FREE book giveaway, Mothers & Daughters: Mending a Strained Relationship by author Teena Stewart.
Glenda is a homeschooling mom of four in New Brunswick, Canada. She also fosters one teen and provides respite care and tutoring for another. She and her paramedic husband Mark have been married for 24 years. Glenda’s writings often reflect her personal experience parenting and teaching children with developmental and learning differences, as well as a particular empathy for moms with chronic illness. She blogs at http://pwsmommy.homeschooljournal.net/ and can be reached by emailing glenda.harbinson@gmail.com
Read more encouraging stories from brave-hearted women here. Be sure to grab your free copy of inspirational quotes and writing prompts while you’re there. (Look over on the right hand side!)
