Give Me the iPad!
My son kissed my hand instead of handing over his iPad. It reminded me of the times I have offered God affection while avoiding what He asked of me.
Tags: Children, God, Love, Obedience, Parenthood, Trust, Worship
One morning, while riding in the car with my son, something small happened that made me think about my relationship with God.
He was playing on the iPad in the car and was not paying attention to a few important things I was trying to tell him. On top of that, I do not like him staring at a screen for too long while we drive. So I said, “GIVE ME THE IPAD!”
He did not want to hand it over. I reached my hand back, expecting him to pass it to me, and instead I felt him grab my hand and start kissing it. Of course, I was still waiting for the iPad. He never gave it to me.
In that moment, I realized how often I do the very same thing to my Heavenly Father. He asks me for one thing, and I hand Him something else. I have done it countless times with worship. I have kissed God’s hand while He was asking me for something else entirely. He asked me for excellence in my work, and I gave Him worship. He asked me to honor my parents, and I gave Him worship. He asked me to be responsible with my studies, and I gave Him worship.
I love my son’s affectionate gestures, but in that moment I was waiting for the iPad he still had in his hands.
Maybe, for someone reading this, “handing over the iPad” means trusting Him in the middle of a crisis. Maybe it means letting go of a relationship that is not good for you. Maybe it means confessing a hidden sin, breaking a bad habit, or finally forgiving someone.
What is God asking of you? He loves your worship, but He loves your obedience too. That is just how we parents are.