home > Pastor’s Desk > 2023 > March17th > BELIEVING IN GOD IS SPELT TRUSTING HIM
Our relationship with God is built and sustained by trust in Him. We come to faith by trusting and accepting what has been done on our behalf. We continue in faith by the same trust in what has been gifted to us.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:-9
I love children. In my days as a medical student, I desired becoming a paediatrician or paediatric surgeon. This desire didn’t last long. Not because my love for children waned, rather because I tended to lose my concentration when kids cry. And kids nearly always cry when an injection is given, or an intravenous line is being secured – procedures that are part of the daily routine of a children’s doctor. When my children were younger, they trusted me more than they do now – well, that’s how it seems to me. They would come to me with a request. Once I said yes to it, they walked away with a smile and a spring in their steps. Their confidence in their father keeping his word was never dented by the fact they were yet to see the fulfilment of their request. What they asked for had been promised, there was no doubt in their mind it was a done deal. It was a joy to watch.
From my perspective, it was easier, then, to keep their promises because they were affordable… lollies, chocolates, notebooks, basic toys, their choice of papers they would like me to staple together to make a book they would write stories in. Time spent in discount shop never bothered me because at the end of the day all their purchases were affordable to me. Our heavenly father is far greater than our earthly parents
For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
Psalms 50:10-11
If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your father, who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11
As my children grew, their taste began to change. I find myself having to provide long explanation that an expensive, branded good does not necessarily equate to good value. That the most expensive is not always the best and the cheapest is not always the worst. I could not afford to say yes to all their request anymore. They would push me for a positive response. Cajole and be extra nice to me but my mind would be weighing and counting the cost. I found myself saying ‘no’ more often than I would like. I worry that they would think I am being negative or stingy. My wife and I were at some point considered the “worst parents” ever. With time I gravitated to responding in the line of “I would think about it” hoping they would forget about it with time or that I would have enough time to consider my answer.
Now that they are working part time, earning pocket money, I try to help them see their purchases in terms of the hours or days of work they have put in. I have noticed, on occasions, that they would change their mind about purchasing things that they would normally press I buy for them. They are learning to appreciate and look after their stuff better. And when they say they don’t have enough money or are looking for extra work, I would remind them of the saying that “you earn more money by working more or spending less. And you spend less by looking after what you already have.
As a parent, I have resisted the temptation of providing all that they want even when I can afford. If they really want something, they bought themselves or if I chose to be generous, we negotiated my contribution, usually not more than half the cost. My two daughters have had issues with their phones at some point. One of them dropped her phone in the toilet – luckily the loo had no poo at the time. My other daughter smashed her screen for avoidable reasons. The phones needed repairs that cost significant amount of money. I could see the pain they went through as they counted the cost of their contribution towards the repairs. They were upset about using their hard-earned savings for reasons other than the major target they were working towards.
My children do not always understand why I would say “no” or “wait” especially when they know I could afford their request. Despite the disappointment they express when they don’t get want they want, I have observed that my “yes”, “no” or “wait” response has not dented their trust in the knowledge that I desire the best for them. It is the same with our trust in Father God.
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32
We will surely have moments of challenges and difficulties – be it physical, social, financial, relationship, work/business etc where doubts and uncertainties surround. May we find strength in the knowledge that God does care, even when we do not fully understand.
Amen.
Ali Kidmas, part of the Elder Team at Legana
Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk:
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Good to read this Ali. It is a beautiful thing when a father is able to show his dependence on his Heavenly Father, his trust in Him and then in turn his children begin to understand as they continue to grow spiritually, nurtured in that trusting love, that there indeed is a Heavenly Father who loves them to the utmost and wants the very best for them, because, they can trust Him implicitly. Jesus has set the supreme example of trusting His Heavenly Father. What a privilege we share.
So true. Thanks Lydia.
Great reflections Ali!
Thanks Michael.
Powerful and timely words of wisdom. I often wonder if am reflecting such mindset in my relationship with Christ! Thanks for your heart and vulnerability here in-law 🙏🏾❤️
This is illustration of children and parents trust relationship brings out how God remain trustworthy irrespective of whether our requests receive a yes a no or wait until the appropriate time but much more God is all knowing,all present and all powerful unlike our earthly parents.
Therefore we can trust God more than even our earthly parents.
Thanks for this inspiring reminder,for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
Thanks Kes
🙏🏾
Thanks Ali for using daily life events in terms of our relationship with our children to illustrate the nature of our relationship with God
Bless you
Thanks for your encouragement
Wisdom is profitable. This message is coming to me at the right time Sir. I pray for more wisdom from our heavenly Father to always genuinely
express agape love to my kids, and to exhibit examplary Christ like, Amen.
Amen
Thanks for the great encouragement to trust our FATHER. With our youngest children at 4, 6 we have seen them cry and stump when we say “No” to their request. How sad it is when we do that with God, our Heavenly Father. And when they wanted something we couldn’t afford immediately we got reminded everyday. Like our 4 yr old asking for ” I want a remote controlled car”! That is perseverance which comes from trusting that the request would be met. We were shocked to hear our 6yr old plead and plead for something we had decided was not good for her. How sad when we insist on getting what is not good for us. We need to learn to trust God and keep trusting when He says NO. Thank you for sharing from your Pastors heart.
Na gode, Blessed. You taught me to trust our Father – God.
You inspired me with word’s of wisdom and spiritual Motivated thanks
I like the analogy you used in this powerful. Thanks for sharing and hope to read often. Stay blessed
It’s really a heart felt and overwhelmed encouragement to trust in the heavenly father, knowing fully he has the power to do all things.
Thanks Daddy for the words of wisdom, I pray for more anointing over your life.
🙏🏾
Thanks Ali for using daily life events in terms of our relationship with our children to illustrate the nature of our relationship with God
Bless you
Easy to read, profusely trackable, overwhelming practical, spiritually sound and logically simple. Thanks my brother for blessing me with this piece.
My Admiral. May the Lord remain with you. Grace and wisdom. 🙏🏾
Thank you for this inspiration, it’s so good to learn from this, it’s lead me to see how grateful should I be more to my parents, it’s makes me think positive, thanks more Grace.
Thank you Ali. I love the way you share God’s truth with us through your personal everyday life experiences. So practical but powerful reminders of His love toward us.
Thank you for this edifying article. Many lessons for me both for my relationship with my heavenly Father and with my children.
Our children come to realise our limitations, but that’s not the case with our Father God.