The Desire of Ages

I'm drawn to the book The Desire of Ages around Christmas every year. Obviously, a book on the life of Christ is not meant only for Christmas, but it is my favorite time to read it. It's funny how you get something different out of a book every time you study it based on the experiences you are facing at the moment. This year the book's message is coming at me from an angle different than usual. Rather than meditating how much God loves me, and all the blessings He offers me, etc... I am contemplating the themes from the perspective of one *"standing in the place of God to my children" needing to fully extend to them the same grace and love that flows from Him to me to them...

I've read chapter 1 four times already. Everybody should read it, but I'll just share a few points that have spoken to me.

~It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love.

         - The law of self-renouncing love is the law of life.

         - That love "seeks not her own" .

         - It is the glory of our God to give.

         - Even the angels of glory find their joy in giving, - giving love and;
             tireless watchcare to souls that are fallen and unholy.

SIN originated in . . .

   self-seeking.

Lucifer was                                         Take note .....

   - desiring to be first                        {Me First Attitude}

   -  trying to gain CONTROL             {Control Issues}

   -  deceitful                                       {Lying}

   -  rebellious                                     {Rebellion}

BUT

The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God's government;

He desires only the service of love,

and love cannot be commanded; 

it cannot be won by force or authority.

~ ONLY by LOVE is love awakened.

To know God is to love Him.

The high and holy God became our servant. This was voluntary sacrifice. 

Or, as we like to say, Voluntary redemptive suffering.

~ Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves.
       
If you think it through, it's a lesson in parenting.

How should I deal with the sins reflective of Satan's character:

Me First attitude
Control Issues
Lying
and Rebellion?

The same way God, our Father, deals with mine. Not with force, but with self-sacrificing LOVE.
Not with what I deserve, but what He deserves.

I understand, it's not that consequences and discipline are out the door - on the contrary; We love our children so much we are compelled to allow them to suffer from the small, safe consequences that teach valuable lessons when they spurn the kindly admonition of their loving parents, but that's another study for another day.


* {Parents stand in the place of God to their children, and they will have to render an account, whether they have been faithful to the charge committed to their trust. FLB 269.8}