Persistence and passion become less powerful out of proper positio. For example
during a stay in a distant city I took the time to visit a department store,
hoping to find some nice gifts for my children. As I walked down a store aisle,
a little girl walked up to me, pulled something off the shelf, and boldly said,
"Mister, buy this for me."
I said, "Little miss, I don't even know you. I'm sorry I don't know about..."
"Mister" she said, interrupting me in midsentence, "I want it. Buy this for me."
The situation was getting out of hand, so I said, "Where's your mommy?" All the
while, I was backing up to distance myself from the distraught young girl and
thinking, What if her mom shows up and blames me?
"I don't how" she said.
"Where's your daddy?"
"Over there."
"Go talk to them," I said, hoping that would end the discussion.
Evidently I underestimated this little girl's persistence level because she
looked at me as if I had suggested something totally unthinkable.
"But I want you to buy this for me, mister!" She kept up the badgering, but it
didn't work. She had the persistence-and I suppose you might say she had the
passion-for what she hoped to possess. Yet she was missing one all-important
ingredient: she lacked the power of position.
I've always had a soft spot for children. Wherever the Lord takes me, if I'm in
Thailand or China, Fresno or Boston, I hardly ever pass up an opportunity to
hold little infants and interact with children. Even so, there is a big
difference in the way I feel toward children in general and my children.
Why was I reluctant to buy something for that little girl? Let me give you a
hint: it had nothing to do with whether or not she was a good girl or the most
persistent and brash little girl I've ever met in my life. My reluctance to
purchase something for her (or for you for that matter) has everything to do
with whether or not she belongs to me.
IF IT WAS ONE OF MY GIRLS, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT
This concept of belonging births a totally different valuation process in the
heart of a father. If I turned around and saw that one of my little girls was
looking at something on the shelf, I would have a totally different attitude and
mind-set if she came to me and asked, "Daddy, could I have this?" One of my
pastor friends has a son who totally understands the power of position. His ploy
is to bring two toys to his father with one in each hand. Then he holds both of
them up to simply ask the question, "Which one of these do you want me to have,
Daddy?"
If we ever hope to understand how God works in our lives and churches, then we
must realize that although God is no respecter of persons, He is a respecter of
position. It is one thing to make your petition with passion and persistence. It
is another thing to make your petition from the right position.
The simple truth is, there is more power in the word Daddy than in the word
Mister. Perhaps that is why God's Word specifically says:
"You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba (Daddy, Father." The
Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we
are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed
we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Romans
8: 15-17
God's Eyeview p. 65 - 67, Tommy Tenney, From GodChasers.network, The Ministry of
Tommy Tenney
Contact information for this ministry:
GodChasers.network
P. O. Box 3355 Pineville,
LA 71361
USA 318-44-CHASE
www.GodChasers.net
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