A Generous Father or a Curmudgeon God
It's a reality that some view God as a curmudgeon. It's also a reality that some view God as a generous Father. I choose the latter. Why? Because, I believe it's simply a better way to live. So, what is the impact upon our lives when we believe God is a generous Father and not a curmudgeon?
There are many verses in the bible we could go to and make a case for the generosity of God. The classic is John 3:16 - “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son...." [1]
But, I'm going to reference a different verse from the bible; one written by a man who experienced deep failure and a long fall from the lofty place of pride - Peter, one of Jesus' faithful disciples.
In 2 Peter 1:3-4, this restored and powerful leader in Jesus' movement says, "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. 4 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." [1]
Notice a couple of things:
1. God gives. He gives everything we need for a godly life and He gives us precious promises that enable us to share in the divine nature of God. Think about that! There's no reason to settle for simply the high watermark of morality when we can actually be living an empowered and godly life, which is the personification of our internal sharing of the Divine.
““We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.” Bernard of Clairvaux”
2. God provides. What does He provide? He provides an another way of living; a life different than simply being led by our own evil desires, which produces global corruption. That's the generosity of a loving Father! We have been given a way of escape. We are no longer locked in our rooms of absolute darkness; described as shame, pain, bitterness, despair, lostness, etc... The door out of corruption has been opened and it leads us to the brilliant and glorious light of freedom, described as a godly life of sharing in the Divine Nature.
Let's receive what He gives and walk in what He provides. It's too beautiful to ignore.
[1] Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.