Is God Father or Boss?

Numbers 28:16-29:40; Psalm 62; Proverbs 11:18-19

 

Do we look at God like an employer or like the father He is?

 

An employer gives you commands to obey before you love him at all. Your initial service to him is for profit, for money, for a living.

 

A father invests his life in you before you’re even capable of serving him. You spend years growing from infancy into childhood, youth, and adulthood, and all that time a father is serving you and loving you. By the time you’re capable of obeying a father in any sort of helpful way (cleaning the dishes, for instance), you’ve already been trying to please him for a while by asking him to play with you and that sort of thing.

 

God wants us to treat Him like a father. He wants our hearts to come before our service, although too often we see it the other way around: In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, prepare these for the LORD at your appointed feasts: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings. – Numbers 29:39. God’s commands follow our love-initiated vows and freewill offerings. And our love-initiated vows and freewill offerings follow God’s deliverance.

 

Love is the foundation for obedience.

 

Father, forgive me for serving You begrudgingly rather than lovingly. Help me to be so eager to serve You and please You that I seek out opportunities to honor You. And when You give Your commands, my heart will be ready to lovingly obey.