How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! Psalm 78:40

For the past week, I’ve been wondering how much I care about the passions of God’s heart.  He wants to advance the kingdom.  Do I feel the same passion?  He also grieved about some things.  Do I discern and take part in what He might be feeling?  Does His pain move me? 

God sent Jesus to birth many children into the kingdom. We are the adopted offspring and are being re-parented to maturity.  But the result is catastrophic if we don’t submit to His parenting.  We languish where we were meant to thrive, and God’s dreams for us are thwarted.  Then God grieves.

• Last Sunday, someone needed to come to the altar to repent of his sin.  The chains holding him captive could have been broken but the pastor didn’t listen to the Spirit about making an altar call.
• Last Sunday, a woman who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer attended church.  God prompted someone to pray for her healing, but that person was too nervous to approach her and dismissed the nudging.
• Last Sunday, a couple was hanging onto their marriage by a thread.  They decided to file for divorce on Monday morning.  God had a saving word for them, but the sermon that should have been preached was never birthed.

While I should be heartbroken for the people who missed opportunities for healing, (through no fault of their own,) I should be even more saddened for the Father who dreamt of blessing His children but saw sinful humanity fail to cooperate. 

I’m asking God to help me understand, more deeply, His heart and His passion.  Perhaps it’s possible for me, and you, to comfort the heart of a grieving Father.

It’s not about what I want.  It’s all about what You want, about me embarking on Your dreams.  I’m here.  Amen