He Speaks to My Heart.

Romans 6:15-18

Slaves to Righteousness

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

There has been a situation weighing on my heart.  I have needed some clarity from the Lord on how to respond to this situation.  It's been confusing to me.

I have asked the Lord for clarification.  Not clarification on if the situation is right or wrong, He is clear in His Word about that, but rather my responsibility as to how to respond. 

God is so good  to speak to my heart in a way that I can understand. 

He brought an example to my mind as I was asking Him for direction. 

  As family members of this house there are different rules and expectations than for strangers or even new family members that come into our home.
  We would never expect a stranger or a guest to know how we do things, the way we do them, or why we do them the way we do.

I would not expect a stranger to know our internet password, or where we  keep the cleaning products, or what our morning routine and chores are.

It is same for God's family.  There are different rules and expectations for members of His family than to strangers or even new members of His family.  As for the strangers, there is no expectations. 

 They are strangers to the family.

As for new members there is a time of learning.   Here's an example:  when Mik came into our family, he did not have the same expectations put on him that the other kids in this family his same age.  He didn't know us and we didn't know him.

  But, we didn't throw all the rules and expectations OUT to make him feel welcome and loved and part of the family. 

 We lovingly showed him and taught him, and as he learned and came to know his family we expected more and NOW, it has been 15 months and he has the same expectations on him as the kids that have been here their whole lives.

God doesn't change because we don't want to play by His family rules anymore. 

 He doesn't want the other family members to compromise their obedience to the Lord in the name of LOVE. 

 This is not love.

  God is LOVE and He gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sin, so I don't think He will EVER look lightly at our sin, it cost Him His Son's life.

  

1 John 4:16-17English Standard Version (ESV)

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

I also know that when one of my kids messes up and doesn't follow the family rules or expectations.....I don't look at the rest of them and say forget all the rules, because one kid has messed up we are just going to quit all the rules around here and hope for the best. 

I mess up every single day MULTIPLE times, but that doesn't mean I can't have expectations for myself and everyone of these family memebers that I LOVE.

Leviticus 18:2-4English Standard Version (ESV)

2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God. 3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.4 You shall follow my rules[a] and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lordyour God.