Sometimes I feel that people, even Christians, view God as demanding, controlling, and a hard-taskmaster. Do you ever feel that way? Perhaps we have all at one time or another thought His commands are difficult, if not impossible, to keep. But how freeing to the soul who finally figures out that His commandments are indeed impossible to keep—in and of ourselves.
Yet, God in His great love for mankind made a way to satisfy His requirement for righteousness—He sent His Son to earth to keep those commandments for us. And Jesus did just that—perfectly, completely, and fully!
When we accept Christ’s substitutionary punishment for ourselves (for not keeping the commandments), we enter into a new relationship with God. We become His children. It is then that Jesus, our Big Brother, invites us to live in fellowship with Him and our Heavenly Father; and just as the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus when He walked on earth, He also enables us.1
With that in mind, try seeing God’s commands through these lenses:
As God’s child, I am invited to abide in Jesus, not demanded.
As God’s child, I am enabled to keep His commandments, not required.
As God’s child, I have a choice to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, not a mandate.
In His invitation to “follow me,” Jesus encourages us to walk like Him, talk like Him, think like Him, have faith like Him, and please the Father like Him. In other words, we have a choice to be like Jesus or to be like the world.
Have you made your choice? Are you living your choice? These are two very different questions. Many Christians believe they have made their choice, but are still not living their choice.
God created man with a “free-will” to love Him or not to love Him. God did not want to have relationships with robots, and we need only to look at human relationships to understand why. What we want is a mutual relationship with people who want a relationship with us. Anything less is undesirable.
What an amazing place to be—in mutual and desired relationship with God Almighty!
How do we treat that amazing relationship? Is it mostly a one-way street: we ask and God gives? Again, we can look at human relationships to see a clearer picture. Do parents want children who become ungrateful demanders of things, but don’t spend time with them? Not!
God has much to give us that we both need and want—love, peace, and protection, to name a few. Sounds much like the things children need and want from their parents. Yet parents also have needs and wants from their children—love, respect, and appreciation. This kind of two-way relationship is what we all desire, and it is the same with God.
Consider this: We are invited to be the children of God—children who receive from their Heavenly Father and children who give back to their Heavenly Father. When we see it in this light, there is no place for words like demanding, controlling, or hard-taskmaster. They simply do not fit.
What happy children we can be! That is, once we understand and experience what Jesus made possible for us: the power to become the sons and daughters of God,2 joint-heirs with Jesus,3 and members of the household of God.4
Come to think of it, I am a happy member of the great household of God with an amazing Big Brother who modeled perfect sonship for me. It is my privilege and birthright to follow in His footsteps. How about you—are you a happy child of God? You can be. ~Janie Kellogg
1John 14:16-21; 2John 1:12; 3Romans 8:17; 4Ephesians 2:19
TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS 
Dear Janie,
This is exactly what I have come to. Angels are beautiful and powerful and obedient, but they have no choice in the matter, and so they are incapable of companionship, possibly of love. We were created out of God’s love, and His desire that we should return His love freely. And that does include the possibility that we will fall short. I believe that the N.T. Greek word for sin is “hamartia,” or missing the mark. “All have fallen short of the glory of God.” How was it going to be any different, when only God is perfect? But if we aim our best and still fall short, then Love will fill the gap.
Or so it seems to me. It is my hope.
“Quakerly” yours, Nancy Pyle
Awesome comment, Nancy! I totally agree. What a beautiful way to say it. Oh yes, His love does fill in the gaps for us! Thank you so much for this insight. God bless you richly, my sweet friend.