I'm pretty sure that, if I asked for a show of hands (assuming I could see them!), as to how many people tried to run away when they were a kid, there would be quite a few. I remember my experience very well. I was fed up with the “abuse” I suffered in my kiddie mind and was determined to escape. My step-grandfather, Daddy Boy, told me that I could move into the back of his truck. He was going to put the livestock cage on it and cover it with a tarp. If I got cold, I could build a fire, and since it would be in his and my grandmother's yard, I could come in any time I wanted. Given a new-found hope with this plan, I went home and started packing. Even as a child, I was a pack-rat, because I was trying to take *everything* with me! I remember produce bags full of old beads that I would be using to furnish my new home. Of course, it never happened, but at the time, Daddy Boy was offering something far better than what I thought I had.
The sad thing is, there are so many Christians out there who feel like that child who just has to run away from home in order to find a better life. They don't stop to think about all of the great things they've got in God's house. There's provision, peace, and safety, just to name a few. But, sometimes, God or His rules may upset them, and they don't want to be under His roof anymore. So, they run somewhere else, complaining about their poor state with their Father. There will always be somebody or something to offer them an out from their *horrible* home life. So, they go back and start packing. Most of the time, anyway. I'm sure there are times when they don't even bother to go back, they just head straight to their new place.
Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” That tells me that if we stay at home where we belong, life will be better! It will also be a lot safer. If we're dwelling in the Lord's house and have His mercy following us, we're shielded from a lot of what goes on in the outside world. And anything that does set out to harm us is turned around, because God takes what is meant for harm against His children and turns it into good! {Most} earthly parents who still have children at home do whatever they can to protect them and give them a loving home environment. If they're still under 18, the parents probably aren't making them pay bills or deal with any of the other household headaches. The child just trusts its parents to take care of things. Sure, the parents give them chores to do that help maintain the upkeep of the household, but its never anything overwhelming. If the Lord intended for mortal households to be like this, don't you think His is set up pretty much the same way? As long as we're living in His house, He takes care of things...if we let Him! He does, indeed, give us chores to do within His house, but it's nothing *stressful*. We bring the stress on ourselves when we start trying to run the household instead of just living in it!
I think the hardest part of living in God's house is following His rules. We've all heard it - “As long as you're under my roof, you'll follow my rules!” Well, God's no different. Our Heavenly Father has rules that govern His household, and some people just don't take that very well. So, they begin to feel “abused”, and start looking for some other place to live. Usually, the alternative is much worse than their Father's house. I don't know about you, but I've never heard a story where the runaway ended up better off after they left home. They leave the stability and, hopefully, love of a home and end up on the streets somewhere. That usually leads to a life of crime and other horrible things just to survive. All because they didn't want to abide by their parents' rules. (I do realize that the reasons for running away vary, and sometimes there is real abuse involved.)
So, the next time you feel like running away from God and getting out from under His roof, take a minute to consider the consequences. Leaving the protection of His abode puts you at risk for all sorts of things in life...and a very horrible thing after this life. Most of the time, children who want to run away from home are just dissatisfied with the rules their parents have imposed, and deep down, they know things really aren't that bad, and their parents love them. It's the same situation with us as God's children. Don't leave the safety and love of God's household for the violence and hate of the world!
The sad thing is, there are so many Christians out there who feel like that child who just has to run away from home in order to find a better life. They don't stop to think about all of the great things they've got in God's house. There's provision, peace, and safety, just to name a few. But, sometimes, God or His rules may upset them, and they don't want to be under His roof anymore. So, they run somewhere else, complaining about their poor state with their Father. There will always be somebody or something to offer them an out from their *horrible* home life. So, they go back and start packing. Most of the time, anyway. I'm sure there are times when they don't even bother to go back, they just head straight to their new place.
Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” That tells me that if we stay at home where we belong, life will be better! It will also be a lot safer. If we're dwelling in the Lord's house and have His mercy following us, we're shielded from a lot of what goes on in the outside world. And anything that does set out to harm us is turned around, because God takes what is meant for harm against His children and turns it into good! {Most} earthly parents who still have children at home do whatever they can to protect them and give them a loving home environment. If they're still under 18, the parents probably aren't making them pay bills or deal with any of the other household headaches. The child just trusts its parents to take care of things. Sure, the parents give them chores to do that help maintain the upkeep of the household, but its never anything overwhelming. If the Lord intended for mortal households to be like this, don't you think His is set up pretty much the same way? As long as we're living in His house, He takes care of things...if we let Him! He does, indeed, give us chores to do within His house, but it's nothing *stressful*. We bring the stress on ourselves when we start trying to run the household instead of just living in it!
I think the hardest part of living in God's house is following His rules. We've all heard it - “As long as you're under my roof, you'll follow my rules!” Well, God's no different. Our Heavenly Father has rules that govern His household, and some people just don't take that very well. So, they begin to feel “abused”, and start looking for some other place to live. Usually, the alternative is much worse than their Father's house. I don't know about you, but I've never heard a story where the runaway ended up better off after they left home. They leave the stability and, hopefully, love of a home and end up on the streets somewhere. That usually leads to a life of crime and other horrible things just to survive. All because they didn't want to abide by their parents' rules. (I do realize that the reasons for running away vary, and sometimes there is real abuse involved.)
So, the next time you feel like running away from God and getting out from under His roof, take a minute to consider the consequences. Leaving the protection of His abode puts you at risk for all sorts of things in life...and a very horrible thing after this life. Most of the time, children who want to run away from home are just dissatisfied with the rules their parents have imposed, and deep down, they know things really aren't that bad, and their parents love them. It's the same situation with us as God's children. Don't leave the safety and love of God's household for the violence and hate of the world!