Tugging the Heart of Daddy

Read Romans 7

I find my son, and any little boy for that matter, an interesting case study. My son is a neat little boy that knows how to tug your heart strings just right. At one moment you want to punish him for something he did and then the very next minute you want to wrap him in your arms and laugh with him.
He has a habit of knowing just when to apologize. In fact, he is so accurate; I am not sure what is going to happen as he gets older. He will step on every last nerve, and then when he realizes he stepped on one too many, he says in the sweetest voice, “Daddy, Mommy, I’m so sorry that I misbehaved, I love you.” Your heart melts and you have to force yourself to discipline him at that moment. I know what some of you are thinking. You’re saying to yourself, “That little boy sure has his mom and dad wrapped around his finger.” Well, you might be right, but you might be wrong. It may just be the heart of a parent being tugged by their child.
I wonder when the last time you tugged at your Daddy’s heart. I can almost picture God saying the same thing I say to my son, “If you’re sorry, then do not act that way again.” Invariably, we walk from our place of repentance and do the same thing again. We are not alone. Paul described this problem in Romans chapter 7. I believe we are just like my son and his dad when it comes to our relationship with God.
We do something wrong, and then we say we’re sorry and we love the Lord, but then we go and behave in the same manner. Have you ever wondered why God was so willing to forgive us for all of our mistakes? I know why now that my son does the same thing that I do with my heavenly Father. God’s heart melts when we apologize and love him. He may still have to discipline us, but His heart melts, and we then feel His love again.
I find it impossible to stay angry with my son. He is just a little boy that gets carried away. I know I will discipline him, but at the same time love bursts from my being every time he says, “I’m sorry daddy, I love you”, and I know that Everlasting Father’s love bursts from Him when we do the same. Have you told Him today how much you loved Him and how sorry you are for failing Him? When you do, get ready for His love to flood your soul.

“Instead of a clear call for repentance we have been offered warms words of sentimentality for those who have shown no godly sorrow for their actions.”
- Peter Akinola