What About God?

TInstructing a Child's Hearthe character of God is the one subject that is limitless. Because God is infinite he can be contemplated, adored, worshiped and loved without limit. But, still, the Holy Spirit wants you talk to your kids about God’s character, about who he is.

For example, Moses describes God with many expressions of awe and fascination. In Deuteronomy 10 he speaks of God in comparison to the false gods of the surrounding cultures.  This is a huge consideration.  Throughout human history there have always been pretenders to the rule of God in the hearts of people.  These false gods took the form of wood or stone. Or they masqueraded as religions with competing deities.  Finally, human lusts for greed, power and pleasure attempted to assume the place of God. This was certainly true when Moses led the Israelites back to Canaan, Thus, Moses reminds God’s people of the uniqueness of their God:

For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.

The Living God is distinct from all of these pretenders. He alone is awesome and great in power. Then Moses reminds Israel that God is unique in that he is not impressed with the efforts of people to please him. He cannot be bribed. One comes to God on God’s terms alone! In other words, Moses is presenting the gospel to Israel. You can’t bribe God. He is not in need of your payment, your homage, your sacrifice. You cannot earn his favor.  Moses is telling Israel that God is not to be compared with all of the pretend gods, idols and paths to pleasure that other cultures offered.

Fast forward 3,500 years to today. The same cast of pretenders exist. Some appear exactly the same as they did in Moses’ day. Lust for sex, money and power are constants in lives of fallen people. False religions with pretend gods still abound, just some of the names are different. But regardless of the pursuit or the religion, all of these pretenders still encourage favoritism and bribery. They all have a way for you and your children to pay a price for their favor. They all take bribes. They all provide some way to do something to earn acceptance. So they are all radically different from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Entertainment offers fame at the cost of your soul. Sports offers recognition at the cost of your body. Material stuff offers pride at the cost of humility. Politics offers power at the cost of conscience. Lust offers pleasure at the cost of your heart. False religions offer absolution at the cost of your life. Only the gospel offers redemption at the cost of Jesus’ death. Only the gospel makes good on its promise of redemption & wholeness. 

Remind your children often of the pretenders to the throne of God. In all of these comparisons, God remains unique. The gospel is unique.  Our God is a great and awesome God and he takes no bribes.

Shepherd Press