Not an obligation but BECAUSE I Love You

So there's this person in my life who wants to bless me with material blessings or by doing their part as a certain role figure in my life. But part of me already knows that this person only does his/her part out of an obligation as my parental figure.

My Father...

I know his intentions are good but selfish. I could start listing out all the negative aspects of all of his wrongs because just like me, he's imperfect & terribly flawed. With my brother and my birthday just passing by, I already sense that he's feeling a bit obligated to somehow make up for parts of the past that he's let slip on by, leaving bits and pieces of neglect and abandonment making a whole lot of pain that can only be healed by THE healer, the Lord above.

I guess he's wanting to give us presents and gifts saying its from his lady friend in whom he's trying to give her the credit to win over our favor. But it just does not and will not work that way. Anything given out of obligation, especially out of a selfish duty is not a gift wanting to be received. I think sometimes this is exactly how we are to God. We think that we can earn his favor by giving offering, prayers and even time, only out of a selfish obligation to prove to ourselves and others that we're good, righteous,holy, "super Christians".. But just like my father, if his heart isn't in the right place of giving, only expecting to receive my love just bc he gives me gifts does not make me want to give back to him my love, favor or even time because he's doing it selfishly and not bc it's my will but only for His will. But with the love of God, it's free grace that's give to us. it's love that doesn't have to be earned because it isn't works that wins our faith but it's our faith being worked out of that free-grace given by the Lord. And how many of us are stuck in this same predicament without even being aware of it ourselves where we will work to earn faith, salvation and love from God when he gives, freely out of His unconditional love for us.

We'll read our bibles out of a duty for pride or spiritual bragging rights and not out of a love & desire to know what God has to say in response to our prayers. We pray by making a shopping list of do's & don'ts when prayer is to talk to God and align OUR will in replacement for HIS- "THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven!" (Matt6:10) We go to church and serve in the church not because it makes us righteous people but out of a channeling of God's love through us. By physically being in the church building on Sundays don't make us CHRISTIAN, it only makes us religious in which Jesus was always rebuking the Pharisees for being, RELIGIOUS with their hearts far from God. Our longing to be at church should be rooted from a desire to get a touch of the Lord upon our sinful spirits to be healed, just like the bleeding woman who believed that just by a touch of Jesus' cloak she'd be healed from her sickness. And what's astounding about this woman is that it was her FAITH that healed her FROM THAT MOMENT! (Matt 9:20) The church is not what heals you from your sins, its your FAITH in Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection that heals.

Oh Lord, expand our hearts for you. Holy Spirit move us to trust, not in tomorrow, the church or our own wills but in You and You alone, Father. Our hearts may "plan the course but YOU determine our steps" (Prov 16:9) Abba, "search our hearts, test us & know our thoughts" (Ps139:23) Change our hearts that when we give to you out of an obligation or a duty for our own benefit won't you turn it into an a offering, prayer & time that is given out of a heart that just desires to give to you not for what we can gain but just because We LOVE You!

Can I get a Amen?

-Live Productively