Tag: Lean on God

Lean on the Father, He Loves You

When we are small, we learn from others and who better than our fathers. Jesus learned carpentry from His earthly Father and to be the example of God from His heavenly Father. The reason we learn from them is that we trust them to teach us that which we need to know. We have the relationship with them and they with us.

As we grow and take on more and more information we begin to take on that we may know more than those who we have learned from in the past. We begin to move faster through things and as such, less and less will seek the council of those we did before. And, we may even begin to look on those others as holding us back. My son recently called me to discuss something. In the conversation, he was looking at information on the internet and was pushing back with me on the validity of what I was saying as to what he was seeing on the internet. It was not until he made a phone call to “check” on what he was reading that he found that I was correct in my assertion.

“11My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

12for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.”

— Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV)

It is easy for me to lean on myself for what I need. I have the mental capacity and the physical ability to do those things and make it on my own. But, the thing I lack is the experience or knowledge of what comes next. This is where others have the advantage and why we should lean on them. Our earthly father loves us and wants us to have the best knowledge based not on today, but on what is to come as a result of our actions. The heavenly Father loves us and wants us to take the right actions as He already KNOWS the results.

Back to my son. Shortly after the realization of my knowledge, he came to me with another request and since he knew that I had recently done the exact thing, he was seeking my help to resolve the item. He and I worked together to resolve and where I did not remember all of what was needed, he trusted that I could get it resolved based on my experience.

It is up to us to lean on those who know. As we grow older, those in our physical lives may not be there to direct us any longer. We will however always have our heavenly Father to lean on. He loves us more than we deserve and only wants what is best for us. We have to remember that He already KNOWS the end result and certainly wants us to get there.

Who are you leaning on? Are you looking to yourself to find the information to get you to the end? What if you leaned on the one who loves you and KNOWS the end already, the Father?

Yes, Even Jesus was Tempted

I know, who knew. Well, I know that I did as I have studied God’s Word for some time now in my 51 (almost 52) years of life. Even Jesus was tempted, and look as to when He was tempted.

“2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” — Matthew 4:2 (ESV)

Jesus was weak and vulnerable in this hour that He would be tested. He had been fasting for 40 days. I know that when I have been without for even 24 hours I am irritable and vulnerable to the temptations of the world as I look to satisfy my need. Jesus had been without for 40 days and for sure this is the time that He would be tested, when He is most vulnerable. But look at the verse just before.

“1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” — Matthew 4:1 (ESV)

This tempting of Jesus was not random and coming out of nowhere. The Holy Spirit “led” Him into the situation. Jesus was chosen to be tempted by the evil one at this time when He was most vulnerable. God knew that Jesus was up to the task and allowed His son to be tempted. He knew the outcome would be great because He knew His son and even in His weakened state, God provided the strength and wisdom needed to overcome and be delivered from the temptation that was befalling Him.

I look at this tempting of Jesus and think, well, if He will be tempted when He is in an extremely weakened state and was still strong enough to overcome with the help of God, why wouldn’t I have the same chance to overcome with the help of God. I should be leaning on God to guide me through this life so that I am able to avoid temptation, yet even then will I still be tempted just as Jesus was tempted, and He is the Son of God.

If even Jesus was tempted, what does that imply about you? Are you working through this world without understanding that you too will be tempted? What if you were accept that you will be tempted and lean on God to get you through?