what are you drinking?

“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” Romans 2:4

My child,

I don't want you to sin. I desire only what is good for you. Sin is not. I want you to imagine two water sources. While they both may look fine for drinking, one is pure, delicious water and the other is polluted. 

One problem with polluted water is that it may, or may not, look polluted. You, also, may not fully grasp the adverse effects until much later. I can see what will happen down the road if you drink the polluted water of this world. It may depend on how contaminated it is or how often you drink it. But anything other than my living water will have a negative impact at some level – at some point.

If you choose the tainted water, it will sadden me because it is not my best for you. But I have made provision for those times. Christ is your advocate who lived a perfect life and gave it up to pay for the poor choices of his loved ones. He, also, came to demonstrate how to choose well. He always chose the pure living water of my love. 

The delight I offer you arises from the wellspring of my kindness. Drink and see I am good!

I love you,

Abba

My Abba,

It is absurd that I ever see your invitation of life as a set of needless restrictions that burdens me, depriving me of pleasure. I have chased after so many things that promised pleasure, but were polluted.

Now as a parent and grandparent, I can imagine what it would be like to buy, at great cost, a beautiful, pristine, spring-fed stream for my children and grandchildren to have a healthy source of water. What if I encouraged them daily to drink from those waters, but they kept trying to satisfy their thirst at a bacteria-infested, muddy livestock pond, instead?

It would break my heart because I would know they would eventually get sick. I would do everything I could to stop them. I can imagine how devastated I would feel if they drank the dirty water, anyway.

What if despite my sacrificial provision for them, they saw me as demanding, narrow-minded, and controlling? What if despite my love for them, they thought I was ruining their lives by trying to get them to do something they desperately needed, but didn't want to do?

If I, as an imperfect parent with finite love, would feel that deep pain, I can grasp (in a small way) the sadness it brings you when I choose dirty water. Please enlighten my heart and help me choose your living water today.

Let me follow you to your river of delights!

I love you,

Mollie

photo: m. pelin