“Timothy, would you like to help Lolly?” I invited. The others were caught up in their own game on a cluster of ride on toys on one side of the room. Timothy stood a little aside, sleepy and frustrated that he had not gotten to the zebra ride on first. In an instant, I was seeing a younger version of his mom in my mind. She was a little older than Timothy but the stance and expression were the same. She had wanted to play kick ball but all the other girls had wanted to swing and when she came over to join them, no one gave her a turn.
My attempt to draw Timothy away for a moment did not work out as I had planned. Amelia and Thomas overheard my question and raced over ahead of Timothy. I tried to station myself so that he would surely reach me first. I watched his face to see how he would handle the situation. He started toward me, eyes on Thomas and Amelia, determined to outrun them but then he stopped. His expression and direction changed abruptly when he spied the zebra scooter sitting unoccupied. Somebody else could help Lolly. He had what he wanted.
Toddlers are notoriously distractible. Sometimes it works in my favor when I need to remove a temptation or referee a squabble. Offering a desirable alternative might turn their attention but this time, Timothy’s attention could not be distracted. I offered something I thought he might find appealing and he did for a moment. When the zebra scooter won out, I could have felt slighted. After all, he chose a toy over time with Lolly, but that would be foolish. I will continue offering Timothy opportunities to spend time with me for as long as I am able because I love him. In the end, it will always be his choice. God’s invitation in Jesus is the same.
““Look! I stand at the door and knock.
If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
Revelation 3:20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rev.3.20.NLT
Timothy was in no way offended by my invitation to come and help me with something. He thought about coming and chose otherwise. Thomas and Amelia ran over in his stead, each eager to be chosen for an assignment. On other occasions, one or the other of the grandchildren has wailed, “No!” or said, “I not want to,” to my suggestions. They’ve continued melting into a heap on the floor, choosing self-inflicted misery over purposeful activity. Jesus, speaking to Martha about her sister, Mary, points to Mary’s choice.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.””
Luke 10:42 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.10.42.NLT
“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home.
Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary.
Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared.
But Martha became exasperated with finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.”
The Lord answered her, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions?
Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet.
She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.””
Luke 10:38-42 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/luk.10.42.TPT
I am indeed privileged to sit at the feet of Jesus, to learn from Him, to be taught and led by His indwelling Spirit. Though He lives in me, He does not possess or overpower me. Through daily, moment by moment surrender, I am taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5) Denying myself, I am daily clothed in Christ. I am crucified with Him, no longer living to satisfy myself. He is a choice I gladly make day after day because I remember how He demonstrated His great love for me.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
Romans 5:8, 10-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.8-11.NLT
“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Romans 5:2-5 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.2-5.NLT
“I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have.
This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises.
These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.
Do these things, and you will never fall away.
Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.”
2 Peter 1:1-13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2pe.1.1-13.NLT
Do you suppose my grandchildren run to me when I hold out my arms and call to them because they feel obligated? I know quite a few adults who have expressed this shortsighted view of life and faith but I know of absolutely zero children who operate under this assumption. We enjoy a shared history, my grandchildren and I, beginning five short years ago with the birth of the eldest. In that time, I have proven my love time and time again to their parents, tangibly and often enough for the children to recognize and trust in my familiar presence. I could offer to read a story or build with blocks, play outside, color a picture or any of a number of things that they enjoy. I freely offer my time because I love them. They come to me because they know it.
How secure are you, my friend, in the love of your Heavenly Father? Is your faith conditional and your heart divided when you are tested? Are you quick to run to Jesus, your Source, in times of trial? Are your words and actions reflective of His great love?
“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
He will not rebuke you for asking.
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.
Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
James 1:3-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.6-8.NLT
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!
But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears.
But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”
1 John 3:1-2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.3.1-2.NLT
“The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:9-10, 12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.1.9-12.NLT
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves.
Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.
Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
And since we are his children, we are his heirs.
In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.
But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”
Romans 8:14-18 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.14-18.NLT
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.3.16-19.NLT
Promises (Cover) Ashley Olivia Branham https://youtube.com/shorts/q_7mPzgUHaY?si=WtH4AcF93B22B0C8
He Loves Us~Crowder https://youtu.be/SUKJEhkk2G8?si=Vmbt9UmfvsyzwyAR
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