Touching Words

I am a member of a group called MOMYS (mothers of many young siblings). Here over 2000 ladies ask questions, give advice, encourage one another and share in each others losses and additions. I have learned alot on this list and met some ladies that have changed my life. It is a christian group and often there are questions concerning relegion or church, or the like. Here lately there has been much discusion on what it is that The Father asks of His children. We know we are to follow His commands, it says it over 200 times in the Scriptures. Often many dont know what that is. What are His commands. Well we have been taught that the 10 commandments are important to follow and that is absolutely true. But what about all those weird commands in the OT. We really dont have to follow that nonsense do we. It makes no sense, it can be bothersome and not to mention inconvenient. Does it matter if we follow the OT laws? Are we saved by following them. Absolutely not! Does it please The Father when we do what He asks? I think so! A question was asked about wearing only dresses and the lady asking the question basically said why should I "have to" when I dont feel like its for me. Below is a reply from a very wise woman Tina, she owns the group....here is what she says, and you can not put it in any plainer words than this

<<["Have to"? What do I "have to" do to be their mother? What do I "have
to" do to be his wife? What do I "have to" do to be her daughter? Think of the
many of us here who have lost children or parents or even husbands.
Is the attitude, "oh, good, I no longer "have to" serve them?

If you believe you "have to" - then that is legalism. You don't "do" things to
earn anything; not God's favor, not salvation, not glory or honor. These things we do as an outflowing of the love in our hearts to please and bless and
serve a God who has given us some indications of those things that please Him. Like baking your husband's favorite desert for his birthday. Do you "have to" or "get to"?

Praise God, I get to clean Skip's hair out of the sink and once in a while pick up his socks. Do I "have to"? Only if I want the blessings that result - a clean sink and a clean spot on the floor, and him knowing (maybe) that I am doing
some little thing as an act of love for him. It's an opportunity to say, "Thank You, God, that this man is in my life and I am in his home, and he is here to serve!" What if he was so distant from me that I didn't know which foods he
prefers? What words he likes to hear? Which is his favorite chair? How blessed and loved I feel when he brings me my favoirte flowers, or fixes me my favorite latte!

If Skip asks for oatmeal-raisin-nuts&cinnamon cookies on father's day, shall I bake oatmeal only because it is too much trouble to go the extra mile and add the nuts and cinnamon? Do I leave out the raisins because I don't like them? Who am I baking these for? Why? Do I "have to"?

If God says, "do this....." do we try to convince Him that something else means the same? Or do we try to figure out what it means to Him, and do that the best we can?

Maybe you think more about these things as you get older. What if we didn't know God? What if He hadn't sent His Spirit and His Son? What if He hadn't
allowed others to be grafted in to His family as adopted sons and daughters?

Tina]>>