July 28: Drywall, Video Games, Ice Cream and Mercy

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21

Romans 11:13-36

Psalm 22:1-18

Proverbs 20:7

"For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all."

On the one hand, it seems to me this verse is such the cause for frustration.  Even if we want to be good, we are inevitably, certainly going to be disobedient.  No question.  So what's the point of wanting to be good?  It took me a while to realize that it is because we can only have the fullness of joy when we surrender ourselves to God that He wants to make sure we will always have incentive to turn to Him.  Then this starts to make sense.  

I talked to my son about this today.  He'd done something to lose smartphone (and, consequently, video game) privileges.  He was supposed to leave the phone on our dresser and while Carla and I was out, and he was home with his sister, he was supposed to read, do his math homework and, if he felt so inclined, go to the driveway and shoot hoops - NOT play games on his phone.  So I get a phone call mid morning - he's crying and apoplectic, remorseful and angry at himself, frustrated (partly because his big sister caught him!) that he gave in to the temptation to sneak his phone off the dresser and play games. He didn't tell me in his anger he'd kicked through dry wall - but that's another story.  

In any case, I was thirty five miles and 9 hours away - I wasn't getting home till around 7 that evening.  So we agreed he'd calm down and we'd go for ice cream and a talk after dinner, which we did.  And, over two scoops of strawberry (him) and a scoop each of Jamoca Almond Fudge and Peanut Butter Chocolate (me), we sat in an elementary school playground left empty by summer vacation and the late afternoon, and realized this is exactly what that verse was about.  We are, inevitably, going to be disobedient, whether at 11 or 48...and we can both take comfort in God's mercy.  

It's funny what God's mercy looked like this evening - I didn't blow a gasket at what he did, and he resolved to break the hold video games had on him.  He's given them up for the week.  We both understand that at some point, I am going to lose my temper and he is going to lose himself in video games again.  But it's nice that when, inevitably, that happens, we can count on His mercy.