Today, in fact, he and I are going whitewater rafting together. You also wanted come along, but just to watch from the shore. While your son is fully grown and a strapping young man, you still try and spend time together nearly every day, and enjoy watching him have fun.
We get in our raft and push off, heading downstream. Soon we hit some rapids, the raft tips violently, and I fall out. You watch with increasing concern as your son jumps into the rushing water, grabs hold of me, and pulls me toward the raft. He gets me to safety, but is unable to make it in himself, and is quickly pulled under the roiling water.
Just when you think your son is not going to surface, you see his limp body as it comes back up and begins tumbling and bobbing downriver. You run down the bank, and he floats close enough that you can run into the rushing water and pull him onto the bank. Out of the corner of your eye you see me continuing in the raft downriver, laying back and glancing over - seemingly unconcerned.
Your son is not breathing, so you frantically begin CPR. You work with all your strength – while in the distance you hear me rafting further downriver, laughing to myself and sounding like I’m having a great time; apparently oblivious to your pain, panic, and concern.
After what seems like two lifetimes, your son finally starts coughing and sputtering out water, as he begins to breathe raggedly. You drop on the ground panting heavily, relieved and incredibly thankful!
As you both are recovering, you look up, and see me walking up shore with the raft, smiling and strolling contentedly… While you were saving your son, I was continuing my fun river experience.
Then you are even more shocked as I walk up and begin mocking your son; laughing in his face with complete disregard, though he nearly lost his life trying to save me…
STOP:
How would you, the young man’s father, feel about me at this point? Would you care that I treated other people with kindness; or that I gave to charities; or went to your church? Or would your deep love for your son and your indignation at my actions towards him - even after he put his own life on the line to save mine - make all of those other "good" traits seem meaningless in comparison? Would you have a sudden and burning flame of mistrust, anger, and complete outrage in your heart for me?
Don’t you thank God that this is just a story?
…is it ‘just a story’?
We were drowning in our sin, and offered the Breath of a New Life! Do we not insult and belittle the One that offers this Breath of Life, if we mock Him, ignore Him, or pretend He doesn’t exist?
Let me state clearly: I am not saying our Heavenly Father is the same as an earthly father -- not at all! In fact, it’s pretty clear that our Father in heaven loves infinitely more than we can love; gives infinitely more than we can give; sacrifices infinitely more…you get the idea.
However, if what I described above happened to your son and you respond with indignation, most of us would respond, “Yes, and rightly so!”. How can we not say the same when we are judged for our mistreatment of the Son of God, unless we turn to Him and ask forgiveness?
Our Father God, please forgive us when we ignore, mock, or live like we don’t believe and honor the sacrifice Your Son made for us.