friends with God

Having kids makes me reconsider my theology constantly. They ask me questions... and then I have to try to formulate my beliefs in language they understand. Eh. and then I scratch my head and go "why do I think that?" Do I think that because its biblical or because that's the Christians culture I grew up with? Many things I grew up believing have barely any biblical base. They are theories or doctrines not always grounded in scripture that is blatantly clear.
In my search to have my Christianity grounded on what New Testament Christians looked like, I find myself constantly asking God to re-knew my mind.

So today Ethan says, Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross. Then he asks "tell me why He died on the cross again?" We have had this conversation a few times over the last week with Easter coming up and all.

So I took a deep breath and tried to remember the things I don't want to say...

i don't want to say, Jesus died so that you don't have to go to hell
Jesus died because you are bad
Jesus died for you to be saved and raptured to heaven
Jesus died for you to go to heaven

Why don't I want to say these things?
I don't ever want my kids to feel afraid that at any time God is going to come back and pour his wrath out and if they didn't ask Jesus in their heart, they will be in big trouble. I don't want them walking around expecting bad things to come at any moment so they better behave. I also don't ever want them to think that the whole point is to get into heaven.

I could say a lot about all that. Because thats the way I felt as a kid ALL THE TIME. I just don't believe thats the heart of God OR that you can even clearly draw that picture scripturally. I know, I know some of you might think I am a heretic as you are reading this. I know its the language so many of us have heard. I just don't think its the point of the "gospel of the kingdom".

so this is what I blurted out,
Jesus died to make a way for you to be friends with God.

then I started crying... and continued...

God created you to be his friend. Bad choices can make it hard to be God's friend. There used to be lots of rules people had to follow and it wasn't working. so God sent Jesus and by him dying it made a way for EVERYONE that wants to, to feel his love and be his friend. He wants us to be his friends because he can do ANYTHING and when we are his friends he can show us how to be like him. God created you to be like Jesus. You can only be like Jesus when you are friends with God. God wants Ethan, Jace and Ava to be his friends.

That's really what it comes down to for me. I know there is a whole lot of other jargon you can throw in there. But it takes you away from the main thing. Relationship. Jesus said I only do what my father says. I am thankful for the way that Jesus made so that we can be friends with God and partner together bringing his kingdom wherever and whatever we are doing. Its not about going to heaven for me. Sure, I will be there someday. But until then, I pray what he told us to pray: Your kingdom come, your will be done on EARTH as it is in heaven.