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In the difficult times of life, we should always remember that God's love
is perfect and without limit. Never think about giving up on life because
if we could see with spiritual eyes, we would see the invisible army of God
who stand ready to take our defense. It is true that while we are on the
earth trials and tribulations will come our way, but we must remember the
God in Whom we believe and know that all things will work together for our
good. Trust Him all the days of your life no matter what happens and
remind yourself that soon all will be well. (2 Kings 6:15-17) (Psalm 118:5-9)
I hope you are encouraged by today's message to see that God's love is
constant no matter our sins or shortfalls and He will be there to receive
us afresh each day that we awake.
IT’S OK DAD, I STILL LOVE YOU
You can learn a lot from a four year old. Now I'm not talking about the
obvious like the names of every dinosaur known to man, or the behavioral
adage patience is a virtue. No, I'm talking about deep and meaningful
lessons, the kind that happens in an instant, yet affect you for the rest
of your life. I had such an experience when my son Zac taught me a lesson
on forgiveness and unconditional love.
It started out with an innocent itch -- you know, the one that gets deep
into your skin and won't go away until sufficiently scratched. This
particular itch centered on remembering a line from the movie “The
Preacher's Wife.”
If you've seen “The Preacher's Wife,” you know the script is full of
emotional one-liners. I had seen the movie years ago and was having trouble
remembering one exact line.
One night I'm channel surfing and lo and behold, “The Preacher's Wife” is
on Disney. It's 8:30pm, the movie started at 8:00pm -- and I'm already
praying the line I'm looking for wasn't in the parts I've already missed.
I yell to my wife that Preacher's Wife is on, then settled into my seat
with the single-minded mission of capturing THE line.
Suffice to say that the kids had other plans for me. First it was the
electronic keyboard at full volume -- a gift from a grandmother who took
obvious joy in helping me relive my own childhood. Then it was the dinosaur
roars, followed by the cries of my two-year old “He's scaring me!” Then
came the incessant “I'm thirsty”, followed by “I'm hungry”, followed by
“read me this book”, followed by “I want a bath.” In the span of one hour,
my little angels had become anything but, and my blood pressure was rising
with each passing minute.
“Zechariah David,” I yelled thinking like all parents do, that using the
middle name reinforces to the child “I mean business.” “Stop picking with
her...apologize now please...in a minute sweetie...hang on, a commercial's
coming...wait just a second...stop fighting...alright, that's it, time out.”
Sound familiar parents?
Finally the big moment came. I slapped the couch several times and said,
“Shh...this is it.” Right at that moment, both kids began to wail -- I'm
talking screams that would make even a banshee blush. Even though I got
right up next to the speaker, I missed the line. I clenched my teeth,
suppressed an internal scream, and stormed off to another room, angry as
I've ever been.
I made it to our basement steps, sat down in the dark, and like many
parents caught in the grips of frustration, I tried counting to ten.
Right about the time I got to fifty, Zac comes around the corner and asks
“What's wrong Dad?” I replied, “Daddy's real upset. I missed a special part
of the movie because you and Caycie decided to throw a fit. I'm angry and
frustrated and not handling things well right now.”
My son, all four-years and forty pounds, put his arms around me, kissed me
on the cheek and said, “It's OK, I still love you.” As I hugged my son in
the dark, with tears flowing, I realized the hand of God had just touched
me in very personal and profound way.
This same heavenly Father, in the very same vein of love and forgiveness,
sent His Son to be sacrificed so that we may have the chance to live
eternal. A son who, even on our worst and most selfish days, has the
glorious ability to pull us back to reality with Him as the focal point in
our lives. A son who daily teaches each of us that unconditional love and
forgiveness do exist. For whether we stumble and fall, or simply lose
sight, our Heavenly Father reminds each of us, “It's OK, I still love you.”
Months later, and the house to myself, I was able to watch the Preachers
Wife uninterrupted -- funny how God plans that. The line I was looking for
was this: “Look in wondrous glory at someone you love, and see the face of God.”
Sometimes, while Zac isn't watching, I'll watch him closely and marvel what
lies ahead for him. With his words “It's Ok Dad, I still love you,” echoing
through my head, I'll look in wondrous glory at this son I love and see the
grace of God.
By Randall Willard
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Romans 12:9-10 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus says, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
1 John 4:10-12 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved
us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God
so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at
any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is
perfected in us.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: LOVE IN THE HOME
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem143.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: THE ALMIGHTY CURE
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony31.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
