Document: /pub/resources/text/Our.Daily.Bread:  db940502.TXT
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OUR  DAILY  BREAD                       Monday,  May 2, 1994

READ:  1 Kings 4:29-34; 11:4-6

                       WHAT DOES HE WANT?

                       His heart was not loyal
                        to the Lord his God.
                          - 1 Kings 11:4


After 10 years of being a parent, I think  I  think  what  I
value most about my children: our relationship.

Sure, it's nice when they score baskets  or  play  beautiful
music  on  the  piano.   I like it when they bring home good
grades or write something profound for a school paper.   And
it's rewarding when people comment how nice they look or act
in public.

But what really keeps a tired dad going - after working  all
day,  fixing  a leaking sink, reading Green Eggs and Ham for
the hundredth time, and helping with a grammar assignment  -
is  a  loving  smile,  a big hug, and four choice words:  "I
love you, Dad."

If another day has passed and my kids have maintained a lov-
ing,  caring,  mutually admiring relationship with me, I'm a
glad dad.

It's something like what goes on between  God  and  us.   He
wants us to work at keeping our relationship with Him strong
- even more than He wants us to do  anything  else.   That's
why  it's so sad to read about Solomon.  He had it all.  Yet
he shut off the relationship with God by being  disloyal  to
Him.  He was a king with wisdom, power, and riches, but when
he forsook God those things meant nothing.

What does God want most from you and me?  A loving relation-
ship.

Author:  J. David Brannon

Spirit of God, descent upon my  heart:
Wean it  from  earth, through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.
                                           - Croly

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
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If you're not  as close to God as you used to be,
guess who moved.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Psalms 64-66

Our Daily Bread, Copyright 1994, used by permission of Radio
Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49555, USA. Written per-
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