"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
2 Corinthians 5:20

A few months ago my mother had invited my two oldest children, Joshua (4) and Charli (3), and my niece Katya (3) to spend the night. During that time frame, Charli and I were struggling in our mother-daughter relationship. Their was constant disobedience, a true rebellion on her part. On this particular day, Charli had been in and out of time-out and finally I resorted to taking away the privilege to spend the night at "Guita's" house. It had been the last straw!

It was time to go and we got in the car to head over to my mom's. When we arrived, Katya came running out to show us a tower of Legos she made. She was so excited! The apparent apathy that Charli conveyed about her consequence quickly turned into a puddle of tears. "Mama, I want to stay," she said whimpering. To which I replied, "You cannot stay,Charli." Then, with a deep pitter-patter of her lips as she sucked in her tears, and took a deep breath, she said, "Maaama, but I want to stay." I looked back at her and told her that she could not stay because it was her consequence for the choice she made.

Joshua and Katya quickly ran inside to build more towers and we pulled out of the carport. Charli began sobbing profusely. Shortly there after I started crying myself! I was saddened and deeply burdened to see my little girl's heart being broken. I was truly grieved at the fact that she was not able to partake in something that would have been so much fun for her! I cried out to God and explained to Him, "But Lord, the whole time we were at home I had been almost begging her to shape up. I kept saying, 'Please Charli, I don't want to have to consequence you.' I gave her chance after chance to make the right choice, hoping that I would not have to resort to taking away the special night at Guita's!!! But still she made the wrong choices and I found myself having to discipline her. I had no choice, Lord!"

And I heard the most gentle voice say to me, "Monica, that is how it is with Me. I love you and I want so many good things for you. I am grieved when I see you going through the consequences of your bad choices. I beg eagerly for you to be right with Me."

There was an out pour of tears at that moment. I could not help but to ask for forgiveness for every time I had made the Lord, my daddy, grieve because of my decisions. I began to imagine His great suffering every time He saw me in jail, or every time I picked up that bag of cocaine. Because of my despair at my daughter's loss of privileges, I understood how terrible God must have felt to see me give myself to the things of this world. And knowing that, even then, He still beseeches me to be reconciled to Him, is nothing short of glory! He wants good things for me. He has His hand extended, ready to hand them over. All He asks is that I follow Him and do what He says.

Right then and there I began to exalt Him for His goodness to me. The whole ride home I praised Him. The most wonderful thing is that, the same goodness He bestows upon me, He eagerly begs to bestow upon you, if you let Him by means of obedience. God is soooo good!