Walk as a Child of God

July 13, 2023

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

One day, a father was talking to his 18-year-old son. The father and son were having the type of conversation that starts out nicely, but as it progresses becomes heated. The son became defensive, the father is amazed that the son is becoming defensive and doesn’t understand why the son does not see the sensibleness of the father’s logical way of thinking and the tension builds and “words” become heated. Maybe you have been there as a parent.

The conversation was something about the son not working enough or his choosing of a career (or lack thereof), or his future goals. The father was concerned about the choices the son was making-or NOT making. So what if the son was only working 8 hours a week? So what he was only getting 3 Cs and a D at the community college? So what, he had not filled out an application and it was due yesterday? “Don’t worry about it!” It was that kind of conversation. (Parents you may have had one or many of these.)

But the conversation had a crucial moment, when the father said to the son, “don’t you want to do better?’ And the son looked at the father and said, “I get by.” The father replied, “Is that all you want to do, just get by?”

I think about the revealing words the boy said, “I get by.” And I have heard those words on my lips also. I have lived my life by this motto many times. I think of God saying to me over and over, “Don’t you want to do better?” and I say, “I get by” and God says, “Is that all you want to do, just get by?”

Not just boys, or fathers, but most of us-maybe you too, at times-have settled for mediocrity. We settle for less than God desires. We are content to stay slaves in Egypt because we like the food instead of leaving as free people-headed for the Promised Land-because it is too much work or is scary. We settle for less than God desires for us in our relationship with Him, which means we settle for less than He wants for us physically, relationally, financially, emotionally, socially, in our joy, in work, the way we eat, act, and serve. You name it, we settle for less-we “get by.”

It’s a lie. It’s a lie that God is cool with us being mediocre. God is a God of excellence. God is a Creative God. He made us in His Image. He is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). He desires fullness of LIFE for His children. Because He loves us and knows what is best. So when we just “get by” we sell ourselves short. We turn off the heavenly flow of blessings.

For me-no more settling. No more “getting by.” I choose to walk strong, walk by faith, ignore the shadows that distort reality and to walk as a child of the King. Who is with me today?!