Daddy Dearest… NOT!

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Oh Boy! You are SOOOOOOO in trouble! Better to confess and take your “medicine” than run away from home until Daddy God forgets you were a BAD GIRL!!!! (and, I hear, He NEVER forgets!)

It may not be the same words, but there are some pastors people who love to wield the rod and staff (FOR OUR OWN GOOD) to scare us into being good children – perfect children – according to their experience judgement. He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. (Proverbs 13:24)

Some believe this is a mandate to BREAK the evil soul that resides in those of us who do not walk in fear of punishment for their sins but walk in joy and peace, right next to Daddy, just as we are.

Like “Mommy Dearest” (1981 biological movie about Joan Crawford according to Google search) they believe perfection is what MUST be demanded, along with an attitude of gratitude for the wounds and scars meant to show you (and everyone watching) how far you have left to go.

I grew up in a religion that seemed to believe that God was never approachable by a SINNER. However, one must come before the judgement seat of God without expecting mercy… what you get is what you deserve (TRUE JUSTICE)! I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t! I was DAMNED!

Today I understand WHY I ran from the “Daddy Dearest” I was introduced to. Today I understand that not everyone knows God but it doesn’t stop them from proclaiming their ignorance. Today I understand that the only way to know God is to walk and talk and be led by Him – one on one and face to face. I’m not saying you can’t learn from others who walk and talk with Him – “May it never be!” – I’m saying… NEVER EVER EVER put someone BETWEEN you and Abba. NEVER EVER EVER replace Daddy Time with anyone (pastor or mentor), anything (Bible Study or Theology degree), or anywhere (church).

No matter what you have heard or feared you would hear, DON’T RUN from the only Creator/Life Breathing/Father-Son-Holy Spirit, the ONLY God who cares about you and for you MORE THAN YOU CARE FOR YOURSELF!!!!!

Yes… I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,this world we live in is broken and full of death and destruction. It will not change until Satan, who is defeated, is sent to hell for ever. Until then, this world is the staging ground for ALL TO COME TO JESUS THE MESSIAH.

Still, even in the midst of our ugly… I fear no evil, for You are with me; Not just on the throne watching and waiting for me to mess up (which will happen sooner than later), but right here, right now.

You have my back… (and front and side and top and bottom) Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

Not for beating me bloody, Jesus is my healer not my executioner.

Not for wounding and scaring as reminders to me, Jesus took the thorns, the whip and the cross in my place.

Not for reducing my market value until I become who I SHOULD BE, Jesus Himself becomes my Perfect and my Perfecter.

I sob when I hear and see reminders of those, who like me, were trained to view God as Daddy Dearest rather than the Dearest of all Dads.

I regret not DILIGENTLY DISCIPLINING (teaching, training, discussing, loving them) with TRUTH, the rod that clears the path of all blockage. The rod that points to the road to heaven. The rod that beats to death any and all lies the enemy delivers through fiery arrows. The rod that is ready at all costs to this shepherd, to love the sheep in my care. The staff that snatches me from a path that ends at a cliff of death and/or destruction

In hindsight, I see that I assumed I could leave the discipline to those who were more experienced than me. I failed to see that in every age, every church, every religion, there are sinners with the wrong view of Daddy God.

I regret being deaf to the cries of my lambs being bullied with taunting and reminding of their imperfections. I regret being blind to my lambs being whipped and bloodied with hidden messages of hate replacing God’s spoken Word of Love. I regret being silent when my lambs ran from God out of fear.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

What shall we write?

1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. 1 John 4:9-10 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:15-16 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 

Daddy Dearest? NEVER EVER!!!!

The Dearest of all Dads…But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13) 

Perfect Love… Yep! But even so… Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;Though His rod and staff are meant for only our good, we just really do not like anything that might make us feel bad. When it comes down to the REAL REASON we run from God, it would be the triune me, myself and I.

If you have learned a view of God that can only come from an enemy of God, or you are afraid you can never please the God you think you know.

May I suggest… you let Him speak to you for Himself.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 

Dine with Him…

Zephaniah 3:17 Adonai your God is in your midst— a mighty Savior! He will delight over you with joy. He will quiet you with His love. He will dance for joy over you with singing. (from the Tree of Life Version of the Bible) This, is our Dearest of all Dads! His little lambs will recognize Him and follow Him.

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.