Daily Butter 7/27: But Dad!

My little addition to Our Daily Bread (7/27/2011):

 

Keep the LORD's commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. (Deuteronomy 10:13 HCSB)

 

Now that my son David is getting to be a big boy and sits at the booster seat at the kitchen table, he’s found a new way to play: pushing on the edge of the table makes the whole chair lean back like a rocking chair. We aren’t trying to take away his fun, but as much as Sharon and I will tell him no, it isn’t until the back of the chair hit the floor that he understands the gravity of the rule. There is a reason why Mommy and Daddy said “no.” I am sure he is my son, because for as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to know the reason for the rule and really struggle with the “because that’s the rule” answers. Though my son hasn’t gotten there, I figure the endless barrage of “Why?” is coming. As His children, the rules are “for our own good.”  God’s reason for the rules is sometimes well beyond what we can understand and just like my son may have to trust Sharon and I in the “because I said so” while he is young, we may have to accept them. Thankfully we have an approachable Heavenly Father who can handle the onslaught of misunderstanding questions with ultimate loving patience. Just as Chris Rice sang in his song “Big Enough”:

 

I hope You don’t mind me askin’ the questions

But I figure You’re big enough.”

 

Of course, David like the rest of us doesn’t take “no” for the final answer. He’s smart and I’m sure he’s thinking “It only falls and hurts when I lean back too far, so as long as Mom and Dad aren’t looking I can still have fun. I wonder how far I can go before…” … “Okay that was too far at lunch so let’s see if I can find out how far now that it’s dinnertime. Are they looking?”

 

Oh that I could develop the faith to outgrow that myself.

 

Andy Jentes

 

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.