Father

Invited Guests

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

We were invited to a Christmas party by a host we didn’t know. And we knew none of the other invited guests. It was quite interesting to say the least. We were the strangers entering a home where most everyone knew someone else. It felt a bit awkward at first walking into a house full of unknowns, but we managed to meet some interesting people. The house felt a bit cramped with such a large crowd, and the host informed me that they wished they had made the kitchen and dining room bigger when they were building the house over twenty years ago. At the time, they were expecting their third child. Then a fourth came along a few years later. Now in a few months, they’ll be empty nesters.

The house was overflowing with talking, laughter and food. Their youngest son, who is a musician, played for the crowd. The mini concert was beautiful, but it caused even more noise in the cramped space. Some people who were already living with hearing loss felt as if they had lost even more of their hearing that night. But we all continued talking.

We met a couple who had moved here from San Diego four years ago. They said they didn’t miss anything about their life out west. They had settled into this neighborhood we were visiting and loved it. She was working remotely, but was planning to retire soon. They were building onto their house. She said they had attended our church for a bit when they first moved here, but it wasn’t the right fit. They have since found a “theologically conservative” church a little farther away.

Another woman has been single more years than she had been married, and she didn’t expect that to change anytime soon. She said she met the hosts at church. She enjoys visiting her daughter at work on Sunday evenings for dinner.

Then we met a couple who attends our church. I’ve never seen them before in my life, but there they were. After talking for a time, we discovered we had attended the same college a few years apart. And we even knew some of the same people. The wife has had two cornea transplants in the past year, and her husband is losing his hearing. But they love life and enjoy camping in nice weather.

The hosts were very pleasant people. We talked as if we had known each other for years, even though the wife and I had met only days earlier. And my husband, who is a musician, had a great conversation with the musician son. We had a nice time with a group of strangers that evening. After all, friends start off as strangers.

The house was crowded with standing room only for the latecomers. It was loud with many voices all at the same time. You had to talk loud and listen closely to the person next to you. But somehow it worked. Everyone took it in stride. There was no pushing or shoving, just polite jostling as people struggled to get from here to there. People moved cautiously through the space carrying plates of food and cups of warm wassail. It was a pleasant evening in the midst of strangers.

It’s the holiday season and people are being merry and bright. Festivities abound this time of year, and it doesn’t hurt to meet new people who are celebrating the birth of our Savior.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10

This time of year is when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I think about the trip Mary and Joseph took that led them on an adventure of a lifetime.

I wonder what thoughts and fears were swirling in the minds of Mary and Joseph when they learned they must go to Bethlehem. I wonder what strangers accompanied them as they set off for Bethlehem. They couldn’t have been traveling alone. After all, Augustus had authorized a census to be taken throughout the Roman empire. Every man was forced to return to his ancestral town to register himself and his family. There must have been hordes of people on the roads going in different directions during that time. There must have been much confusion and anxiety in the preparations for travel.

But a couple in their situation, engaged to be married and pregnant with her first child, it would have been very unusual to travel together. Yet, here they were. Traveling to a distant place where Joseph’s ancestors were born. I wonder. Did he still have family in Bethlehem? Did he know anyone there who could assist them in any way?

Mary and Joseph were most likely surrounded by strangers. They intermingled with them and made acquaintances as they traveled. And they kept traveling. Others could see that Mary was heavy with child. Who knows if they offered assistance. They didn’t know that this couple traveling weren’t yet wed. They didn’t ask. And I’m sure Mary and Joseph didn’t tell. They were all on a journey to be counted. All familiar yet unfamiliar. Even Mary and Joseph not yet married. They knew each other, yet they didn’t. They had never lived together, yet they were alone in a crowd sharing the most intimate of times. Tied together through a betrothal and a pregnancy all begotten by God.

And when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, all the inns were full. People who arrived first got first pick of the best places to lay their head. By the time the couple arrived, there was no room for them. Oh. I’m sure they weren’t the only ones stranded out in the open. But a bigger problem was that Mary was heavily pregnant. Due at any time. What were they to do?

They eventually found a space to keep them sheltered from the elements. It could have been a barn. Or a cave. It was in fact a stable for the cattle. That’s where they lay their heads. And as it would happen, Mary delivered this child of God. Born in a stable in the dark of night. Was anyone with them to help her? Or were she and Joseph all alone? We don’t really know.

But there were people out and about. In the fields, shepherds were watching their sheep. Suddenly an angel was hovering in their presence. And he spoke words of joy and blessing to them. After he shared the good news that the Promised Messiah had been born, a host of angels joined him singing and praising God. Then this band of weary shepherds went to find the babe in the town of Bethlehem, just right where they were told he would be found. He would be in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And he was.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Oh. Mary and Joseph weren’t alone for long. As this strange band of shepherds burst into the stable, there was the baby just as they had been told. He looked like any other baby. A newborn. But they knew he was different. And they bowed to worship him. I’m sure Mary and Joseph were in awe. How did anyone know they were in the stable and that Mary had just given birth? How did these men know? They weren’t strangers for long, as the men shared how the angels surprised them in the field with the great news of the birth of Jesus.

You can read the full story in Luke 2.

Mary and Joseph encountered these shepherds coming to worship the Messiah. They wanted to pay tribute to their Savior. Little did they know of the life he would lead, but they bowed before him in humble gratitude. Strangers yet kin in spirit.

Later, when the wise men came to call, it was with the same reverence they bowed in worship. As they offered their humble gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the knowledge of who they were worshipping left them in awe. A small child yet the Savior of the world was in front of them, unaware of the mission of his life. They too were strangers in a foreign land yet bound by the Lord of the universe.

We too can be strangers to the Savior, yet we don’t have to be. We too can bow in worship before him, not only during the season we celebrate his birth, but we can choose to bow before him in submission every day. I pray that your life will be lived in surrender to His will. Don’t be a stranger to the goodness and forgiveness of God. He is the Good News the world has been awaiting.

The Underbelly of the Mind

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

The HVAC technician walked into my house and asked to be shown to the furnace. I mistakenly thought he would only inspect the air conditioner outside. But no. He needed to go into the corners of the basement to examine the workings of the furnace. And there, to my dismay, he saw not only the furnace but also the cobwebs, dust and clutter filling the laundry room. Now mind you. I like my laundry room because it is the size of a bedroom. It is spacious, but it is not a pretty place where one would want to entertain guests. The floor is plain concrete. A couple of the exterior walls are cinder block. The other two walls need a fresh coat of paint . The rafters, wiring, plumbing and insulation are exposed. The decor of the room obviously isn’t anywhere equal to those seen in magazines or design shows. It is not a sight to behold.

So when I realized he would see all the underpinnings of the ugliest room of the house, I was not delighted. My old dog and I escorted the young man down the stairs to see the furnace. And then he asked if we could move the storage shelving so he could get closer to it. Of course. Why don’t you just ask me to confess all my sins to you, as well as let you see the dust particles that I hoped would remain hidden. But no. He saw all the ugly. And he didn’t say one word about it.

I always try to rationalize these types of situations in my mind. I tell myself that surely these technicians who enter my home have seen other homes far worse than mine. Surely mine can’t be the most cluttered or unkempt that they’ve come across in the years they’ve been doing their work. But I don’t ask. And I don’t apologize. I pretend that clutter is just a normal part of life.

I was reminded that a similar incident occurred a couple of years ago when we had a new water heater install right next to the furnace. I had the same thoughts and feelings that time as I had this time. So, obviously, my cleaning habits didn’t change at all. I still have dust bunnies and clutter in hidden places of my home.

I confess. I’m not a perfectionist. I don’t demand a spotless house, but I know I could do better. I could keep a cleaner house, because I do have time for it. But that’s not how I choose to spend my time. After all, the only people who really need to see my laundry room are the people who live in the house.

May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Psalms 104:34

And I think to myself. I could keep a cleaner mind, as well. Now mind you, I’m talking about removing the cluttered thoughts of annoyance and irritation. The internal moaning and groaning of my heart that leads me to think ill of others and myself. The pangs of worry and anxiousness over situations I can’t control and don’t need to concern myself with. Those unpleasant aspects of my thoughts should be put to rest, once and for all, but I continue to find them in the most unwanted times.

I’m thankful others can’t read my mind, because they would want to stand far from me or walk away. I’m afraid they would think ill of me and not bother with the good that is in me. It seems a good thing that most thoughts are kept out of sight.

When the curtain is pulled back from the corners of your mind, what is revealed? Who would you want to hide the view that has been exposed? Too often, I fritter away my thoughts on issues that should have no bearing on my life. They’re either history that can’t be changed or imaginings that will never happen.

I wonder how peaceful I would be if I focused my thoughts on God. What would happen if I sat in quiet worship of the God who is the Creator of the universe? What would transpire if I were to humbly consider the majesty of my Heavenly Father? Just the thought of his greatness and goodness should cause my heart to bow in reverence. When I consider all his creation that shouts for joy because of his goodness, why can’t I?

When I gaze into the far reaches of my mind, I glimpse memories and thoughts of the goodness of God. I recall answered prayers and the joy of the Lord’s presence as I walked through dark valleys. God’s promises are brought to mind as I remember the days where trouble loomed and uncertainty reigned supreme. And deep in those dark corners are the remembrance that God is an ever present help in times of trouble. He will not leave me or abandon me when I am faithful to him, no matter what evil may surround me.

I read that the God of all creation is worthy of our praise, and that is so true. We must look to him as our source of strength and comfort. He’s the only constant in a life full of ups and downs. All my joy and praise should be centered on him. Our hearts should be warmed when we praise our Maker and give him all the glory and honor that is due him. No one else can accomplish or plan as he does. He alone is sovereign and will always be. There is none like him.

Have you no fear of God, no reverence for him? Job 15:4

If My Dad Was God For A Day

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

She was writing the final paper for her senior year in college. The professor assigned the topic for the class. They had to answer one question. What would the world be like if your dad was made God for a day? This woman felt she was at a huge disadvantage. She grew up in a home with a single mom and little to no contact with her earthly father. So. How would the world be different if her earthly father played God for the day?

This woman said that her thoughts and opinions shaped the world and God’s place in it based on who her earthly father was. She perceived God to be absentee, unpredictable and emotionally disconnected, uninterested in her life. That was almost a mirror reflection of her relationship with her earthly father. She realized she had an inaccurate view of God and needed to change it. So, the following year she enrolled in seminary so she could learn a more accurate understanding of who God is.

Not all kids growing up in the same household have identical view of their fathers. Each kid’s personality and strengths and weaknesses are different, so a father will interact with each child in a unique way. Some who knew my dad might see him in a different light than how I see him. If they were telling this story, he might look a bit different. But isn’t it the same when we have opposing views of God? We may see God differently than someone else does. It all depends on our experiences and our views of many different elements of life.

It is an interesting question. And I thought I would put it to the test. What would the world be like if my dad was made God for a day? I’m basing my description on my dad’s chosen life’s work, not on his personality traits or strengths and weaknesses.

My dad was a farmer, so you could say that he worked from home. A normal day in the life of my dad would see him working on his farm. His workday would start with feeding the pigs. Then, he might sort the pigs into different categories. He would consider which ones were ready to be sold for slaughter and which ones to keep for growing the herd. If some pigs were ready to give birth, he would move them to the nursery. The job of a pig farmer seemed to revolve around sorting and feeding his pigs.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty. Revelation 4:8

On another day, my dad might work in the fields from morning until evening. In the spring, he would plant corn and soybeans. In the fall, he would plant the wheat and harvest the corn and beans. He would harvest the wheat in the summer or early fall. The work of a grain farmer consists of cultivating the ground, planting the seed and harvesting the crops. And praying for rain.

There was always work to be done in the fields. The soil had to be prepared for the crops that would be planted. There was plowing and cultivating the ground in order to soften the soil, because the soil had to be ready to accept the seeds that were sown in it. Once the crops were growing, fertilizer would be added for a plentiful harvest. At certain times in the growing process, he would till the land to remove weeds that had popped up between the rows of crops. If weeds weren’t removed, they could overtake the crop and there would be no harvest. Weeds had to be kept under control.

As farming methods progressed, my dad would use the no-till method of planting where the soil would not be disturbed until the seed hit the ground. The previous crop that had died back would be left in the field, and a new crop would be planted directly over it. This would prevent soil erosion. There was never any expectation that the seeds would plant themselves or the crops would harvest themselves. The farmer must do the work of planting and harvesting.

A farmer’s work is never done. If my dad wasn’t working in the fields or with the pigs, he might be repairing his farm equipment. There were tractors, combines, trucks, plows, disks, cultivators, planters and possibly other tools I can’t quite recall. The man was busy from morning to night. And on beautiful sunny evenings, he would load his family in the pickup truck to drive around the countryside admiring the fields of crops.

Everyone may not agree with my dad’s method of farming, but his work always produced great results. His crops produced a higher yield that other farmers in the area. He knew that the secret to a huge harvest was to start with healthy soil and the best seeds. My dad had a proper understanding of raising healthy and productive crops.

Now knowing what a day in the life of a farmer looks like, what would the day look like if he was God? With my dad’s background in farming, I could see him as a nurturing God. As a discipler and a disciplinarian. He would be interested in feeding the souls of his people, but he would also discipline those who are going astray from his teachings. He would mentor those who are eager to know more about him and what makes him holy. He would sort the wheat from the chaff, the good fruit from the rotting fruit.

If my dad was God for a day, he would produce a huge harvest, because he had been faithful with the little he had been given. His crops would be able to provide for many who are less fortunate. He would feed the hungry and teach them how to feed themselves. His hard work would not be in vain. His talents were proven to be good, and he loved his work.

Not everyone approves of God’s ways, but his work always produces the best results. Perfect results, actually. He can do no wrong. The good news for my dad and for everyone is that he will never be God. There is only one God, and no one compares to him. And when we look at the truth of God that is found in Scripture, there’s only one story to tell about God. Our opinions and life experiences don’t change who God is or what he does.

A Good Man

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

He was a flawed man, but I didn’t know it. He wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t notice. In my eyes, he was perfect. He made good decisions. He gave good advice. He was an astute business man. He always did the right thing. He was a strong leader. He was a godly influence. He had his flaws, but they will remain nameless. He had to be flawed. He was human. So he had strengths and weaknesses, like everyone else. But I saw him as the man of all men. He was the one to be looked up to at all times. I never doubted his advice. I never questioned his decisions. At least, not out loud. I followed his instructions to a T. I knew that he loved me. He was my dad.

He had a sense of humor. In my mind’s eye, I can still see him throw his head back and give a big belly laugh. He was a disciplinarian. He kept his kids on the straight and narrow. He was an authoritarian. His word was law in his household. No one in the house ever doubted that. Or talked back.

He was my father. The man of all times. He was a soldier. A welder. A farmer. He was a Christian. Father. Husband. Son. Brother. Uncle. Cousin. Grandfather. Great Grandfather. He was a man of God.

He read the Bible. He had daily devotions. He spent time with God. He served God by being involved in the church. He taught Sunday School. He was on the church board. He was the church treasurer. He was the Sunday School superintendent. He read the Bible to his kids on a daily basis. He prayed for his family. But first and foremost, he was a Christian. He loved God.

He once caught a man stealing his farm tools and drove him to the police station in the middle of the night. He was a man of courage. He served four years in the Army during the Korean war. He defended our freedom and our rights. He was a man of valor.

My dad loved his job. He loved farming. It was his life. Planting. Harvesting. Raising pigs. He loved his life on the farm. He would have been content to work the land until his dying day if his health had permitted. But with age came heart issues, causing him to slow down and retire. It was a sad day for him to sell the farm equipment and lease the land to an up and coming young farmer.

Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children. Proverbs 14:26

After every Sunday dinner, my dad would get up from the table and kiss my mom on the cheek and thank her for a delicious meal. He was a man deeply in love with his wife. He spent the last years of his life making sure my mother was taken care of as her memory slowly faded. He waited eleven days to take his final breath once he knew she was safely secured in heaven. And then he quietly joined her.

Oh. My dad never brought flowers to my mom. He rarely bought her a Christmas gift. But he gave her his undying love and devotion. He provided a godly influence to their family. He was a faithful, loving husband.

My dad has been in heaven for eight years now. I’m sure he’s having the time of his life. I’m looking forward to the day that I join him, and then we’ll never be separated again. It will be a glorious time.

Oh. If only we had more men like my dad today. This world would be a much better place. It still wouldn’t be a perfect world, but it would be a more secure, productive and kind world. It would be centered around God, the church, a satisfying career and a loving family.

I miss my dad.

Faithful Father

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Imagine being Joseph.  His fiancee runs off to visit her cousin.  She’s gone for three months.  And when she returns, she breaks his heart.  Oh.  She isn’t dumping him.  She tells him she’s pregnant.  Makes a man wonder what his girl has been doing for those three months she was visiting her so-called cousin.  He knows without a doubt that the baby isn’t his.  Because they haven’t.

She says the baby’s father is God.  How is a man supposed to believe that?  Can he trust her?  After all, they’re engaged.  Not married.  Should he just break up with her and move on?   Even though they aren’t married, breaking up would still signal a divorce.  Because he knew.  He knew if he agreed to marry her, the people of their village would spread the rumors.  Oh.  That couple.  They didn’t wait until they married.   But they can’t prove they were waiting.  Because now there is a baby on the way.

What if God asked the impossible of you?  Would you be willing?  If God asks you to move out of your comfort zone, would you?  How far out of your comfort zone are you willing to go, even if it is God who’s doing the asking?

The baby wasn’t his.  He knew it.  She knew it.  Did everyone else know it? He wanted to divorce her.  Quietly.  Not make more of a public spectacle of her than she already was.  He could.  You know. 

But the dream was so real.  The angel was right there.  Marry her.  He said.  She speaks the truth.  She has been faithful.  This child is God’s.  Name him Jesus.  Joseph actually heard from God in a dream.  So he did it.  He married her.  Knowing what everyone would say.  

What is impossible with man is possible with God.  Luke 18:27

This man.  Joseph.  His betrothed was carrying the Son of God.  How was he to be a father to God?  He wasn’t qualified.  He was just a carpenter.  How could he do this?  Would this child want to become a carpenter?  If he and Mary were fortunate enough to have their own sons, how would they compare?  Would others be able to tell the difference between God’s son and Joseph’s sons?

How is one to be faithful when the world says to run the other way?

Joseph didn’t know God’s plan.  Joseph didn’t know that God’s Son was to be born in the lineage of King David.  Joseph was in that lineage.  God’s plan worked out perfectly.  No.   Joseph wasn’t the biological father, but he fulfilled the plan God had laid out for him.

Oh.  It wasn’t Joseph’s place to be in the spotlight.  He didn’t have the leading role.  But support roles provide stability and depth for the leading role.  It wasn’t his birth that was announced to the shepherds.  It wasn’t his death on the cross.  His role may seem small, but really.  His role was father.  Role model.  Family leader.  Bread winner.  Not much is written about him, but words aren’t enough.  He did everything by being faithful to God’s plan.  What seemed impossible for him was made possible through God’s purpose and leading.  

Sure.  Joseph doubted at first.  He even considered saying no.  But when that angel appeared in the dream, he realized this was God at work.  God was fulfilling the promise and prophesies that had been passed down for so long.  And Joseph was part of the plan.  God was using Joseph to raise this God child.  

Oh.  My role may not be as leader.  I may be the supporting role in a much bigger plan.   There are times I don’t feel worthy of the role I’m playing in God’s plan.  There are times I would choose to step aside.  But God who calls is also faithful.  If he calls, he equips.  And in that equipping and following the plan, I find that God is so much more than a word so often used in vain by many.  God makes the impossible possible.  All I must do is believe and trust.  And obey.

The God I Know

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Oh.  Heavenly Father, God and Creator of the Universe.  You knew me before I was born.  You knit me together in my mother’s womb.  You numbered my days before I breathed my first breath.  You alone decided I would be born, and you alone will decide when my days are complete.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made by You.

You alone planned my days.  You know my accomplishments.  You know my failures.  You love me in my most lovely days, and you love me when I’m less than lovely.

You go before me and you follow me.  You surround me with your presence.  You work for me.  You fight for me.  Your heavenly armies follow me.  I can never escape from your Spirit.  Your hand guides me.  Your strength supports me.  You equip me for your work.  I am never far from your thoughts.

You search me.  You know my thoughts.  You read my mind.  You hear my words.  You test me.  You know my anxious thoughts.  Yet you still love me.  You won’t turn away when I call.

You are the first and the last.  The alpha and the omega.  The beginning and the end.  You never had a beginning and you’ll never end.  You are always.  You are eternal.  You are everlasting.

Oh.  You are three in one.  God, you are the Father.  Jesus Christ, you are the Son.  Holy Spirit, you are my Guide.  All of you complete the never-ending circle of the one and only God.  There are no limits to what you can do.  You are powerful.  You are able to do anything and everything.   At any time.

You are the God of peace.  You are kind.  Compassionate.  Loving.  Generous.  You meet all my needs and provide me with blessings.  Your grace is free and undeserved.  Your mercies are new every day.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Revelation 22:13

Your ways are beyond understanding. You are a good good Father. You know best.  You love unconditionally.  You love the lovely and the unlovely.  You are merciful and yet you’re just. You will repay and you will punish.  But oh.  Your blessings are unfathomable. Your love is endless.  Your grace is unearned.

You love everyone. Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in your sight.  The lame. The blind. The sick.  The homeless.  The rich.  The poor.  The thief.  The artist.  The CEO.  The hourly worker.  You love those who are hurting. You love those who have hurt others.  You love the honest.  You love the liar.  You do not discriminate.

You allow Satan to tempt and trick your people.  You allow wars and disease and famine.  You allow untimely deaths and accidents.  Job loss.  Destruction.  Horrible crimes.  You could stop these, yet you don’t.  You allow nature to take its course.  You allow the sun to rise and set every single day.  You allow mankind to choose you or not to choose you.  You’ve given us a free will to live our lives as we see fit.  With you.  or without you.  And through it all, you love us.  No matter what we choose.

You offer forgiveness.  No questions asked.  You stand waiting for us to choose you over everything else we hold dear.  You offer eternal life.  You offer a heavenly reward.  You gave your Son.  For everyone.

Your work is never left undone. You finish everything you start.  You work thoroughly and perfectly.  You are the Master Creator, creating works of art for your pleasure and purpose.  You are the Master Carpenter, building an eternal home for those who follow your ways.

Through everything, you never change. The good. The bad. The ugly. You’re constant. You speak only the truth. You don’t lie. You keep your promises. In your own time.  Because for you a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day.  Time is nothing to you. Yet you created time.  In those 7 days, you created day and night.  Dark and light. Sun and moon.  Sea and land.  Food and flower.  Creature and man.

You are the final Judge.  You will have the last say about how I’ve lived my life.  You alone will decide if I am worthy to enter heaven’s gates.  Oh.  I’m unworthy.  But you alone, God, will determine my eternity.

You correct me when I’m wrong.  You counsel me when I need guidance.  You challenge me to trust you when I’m out of my comfort zone.  You carry me through the most difficult of times.

God, you are fair.  You judge and punish as you see fit.   You are impartial.  You decide who will rise and who will fall.  You allow rain to fall on the just and on the unjust.  You have enemies, but you fight cleanly and fairly.

God, you never change.  You’re always right.  You have the final say in all matters.  No one is better than you.  You alone determine the outcome of all events.  You alone are God.  You are the only God.  The one and only God.  All knees will bow to you at some unknown time.  All lips will confess you as Lord at the appointed time.

Bless your holy name.  Amen.

 

Good Good Father

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I’ve heard it said that a person’s view of God is based on their relationship with their dad.  I’ve always had a respectful view of God.  I trust him.  I love him.  He is the authority.  Let me tell you why that is my impression of God.

My dad was always in charge.  He was the leader of our family.  He was the provider.  The authoritarian.  He was a tease.  He had a great sense of humor.  He had a great work ethic.  He loved his work.  He loved his family.  He helped those in need.

My dad  provided everything I needed.  No.  He didn’t give me everything I wanted.  But I never went hungry.  I was always clothed.  He built our home.  I was warm when I needed to be.  I was cool when I needed to be.

My dad taught me to work.  Whether I liked it or not, my dad handed out chores for his kids to do.  Mowing the lawn.  Weeding the garden.  Cleaning the hog house.  Working on the farm.

I saw my dad spending time with God every day.  He would read his Bible before breakfast.  He would lead our family in devotions every night before bed.  He would pray for us.  He would pray with us.  My dad made sure his family spent time in God’s word every day.

My dad was always present.  He was available when we needed him.  Oh.  He worked hard.  He worked long hours.  But he always took a Sabbath to rest and restore his spirit.  He was in a noisy environment a lot of the day, so he wanted peace and quiet at home.  That wasn’t easy with seven kids.  But we knew that once he walked in the door, the piano practice time was over.  The radio was turned off.  He wanted to hear himself think.

My dad was a disciplinarian.  When we did wrong.  And we did.  He disciplined us.  It wasn’t pleasant, but it taught us to respect authority and trust his leadership.

Oh.  My dad wasn’t perfect.  But he was honest.  He was a powerful influence in my life.  He took his faith seriously.  He had a library of Bible commentaries, Christian books and Bibles to study as he prepared to teach his Sunday School class each week.

My dad is the man I measured all other men by.  He set the standard high.

He was a good good father.

The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.          Psalm 103:8

I think of God.  My heavenly Father.  He is the giver of life.  He is the lover of my soul.  He provides for all my needs.

My heavenly Father allows me to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but he calms my fear of evil.  My God is so wise that He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  When I am fearful, he alone is my source of strength and resilience.

Oh.  He disciplines me.  When I disobey, he teaches me how to be more like Him.  When I don’t spend enough time with Him, He calls me back.

The thing about God.  He is perfect.  He knows exactly what I need when I need it.  He provides at just the right time.  He does no wrong.  He cannot.  He will not.

My God is always with me.  I can’t move without him knowing it.  Oh.  He can see everything I do.   He hears every word I speak.  He reads my every thought.  He never leaves my side.  He is always available anytime I call out to him.  He fights for me.  He works on my behalf.

God shows me favor.  At times, I feel as if I’m his favorite child.  He showers me with blessings that I don’t deserve.  He loves me unconditionally.  No matter what I do, He never gives up on me.  He will not stop loving me.

He is the God I measure all other gods by.  May I never waver in the God I serve.

He is a good good Father.

 

 

 

So Close to Eternity

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Today on Father’s Day, I think of two men.  Two men who never knew each other.    Different values.  Different lifestyles.  Different beliefs.  Different worlds.  They both were fathers.  That appears to be their only common ground.  I don’t know why the first man even comes to mind.  But he does.

I remember when Saddam Hussein was killed.  Some witnesses videotaped his death.  His hanging.  I saw parts of the video on the news.  It was graphic.  It was disturbing.  It was unsettling.  He died.  People wanted confirmation that he was gone.  There it was.  Ugly and haunting.

He seemed so calm in the last moments of his life.  He wasn’t fighting his captors.  He was as a lamb being led to the slaughter.  Quiet.  Reserved.  Defeated.

I wonder if he had been drugged.  I wonder what he was thinking.  When they opened his cell door for the last time, did he know he was going to his death?  Did he know that in just a few short minutes he would be in eternity?  A never-ending place where he would reap the rewards or punishment for his life on earth.  Did he know?  Was he ready to meet his Maker?

If he knew, what was he thinking?  Did he try to make peace with God?  Did he ask forgiveness for the atrocities he had committed?  Did he shake his fist at God and curse him?  Did he believe in God? What were his final thoughts?

It isn’t mine to know.  It isn’t mine to judge.

The Lord knows the thoughts of man.  Psalm 94:11

I remember another man’s death.  I wasn’t with my dad when he breathed his last breath, but my sisters were there.  He had been on hospice for 3 months.  During those final months and days, my dad exhibited peace and contentment.  He knew he was dying.  He knew he was going to heaven.

Some days he would want to hold your hand and tell you that he loved you over and over.  Other days, tears would roll down his face.  At times, he would look up to the corner of the room with a far-off look.  He was seeing a place he had only read and heard about.  Heaven.  He would sometimes see people.  Others who had gone before him.  He would call them by name.

He had said he was waiting for my  mom.  He never wanted her to be alone.  He waited for her.  In those final three months of his life, he portrayed a sacrificial love for the woman he had pledged his life to 60 years earlier.  He kept his vow.  Till death us do part.

His heart was weak.  His body was frail.  His voice was soft.

His love was strong.  His faith was sure.  His eternity was secure.

During his final days, he would reach with outstretched hand to heaven.  Trying to touch it.  Wanting to enter those pearly gates.  As the end drew near, he would lie there with his eyes closed.  No longer speaking.  Not in this world.  Not in the next.  Hovering between two worlds with a smile on his face.  He was seeing heaven.

He had made peace with his life.  He had waited for his beloved to go before him.  He was ready to meet his Maker.

His last words.  So close.  So close.