The Love of a Father
My father grew up in the Depression era in a leaky and cold house. He said, in winter months, he could sometimes have snow in his bedroom. The house was not well insulated, so the wind could bring a chill. Though the conditions were difficult, he never questioned the loved of his father.
One frigid night, my father woke up and was thirsty. He called out to his dad and asked him for some water. They did not have running water in the house, so my grandfather had to go outside in the cold to get a cup of water. My dad could hear the floor creaking as my grandfather stepped through the dark house. He heard the door open and the ice breaking as my grandfather got the water from a bucket that had frozen over.
As my grandfather brought the cup of water to my dad's bedside, my dad said he had never felt so loved as he did in that moment. His father had sacrificed his own comfort to satisfy my dad's thirst. What a great example of a father's love.
Our heavenly Father has done this for us. He knows what we need and He provides for us even better than our earthly fathers can.
But the greatest lesson is this. He has loved us to the point of His own personal sacrifice. Jesus left the comforts of heaven to come down to this dark world to satisfy our deepest thirst. He came so that we would never thirst again.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. ... whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:11, 14, NIV).
Saving Up to Pay for Adoption
Fourteen year old Tyce Pender of Cayce, S.C., has started his own lawn mowing business using a $200 loan from his mom to buy a new lawnmower, rake, and leaf blower. To date, he’s mowed nearly 20 lawns and earned over $400.
That’s a nice stack of cash! He could now afford a new video game system, a primo new bike, or even some great new threads. But Tyce isn’t saving for games, gadgets, or new clothes. He’s saving for something far more important — his own adoption!
Tyce’s step-dad, Eric Jenkins, came into his life when he was just 2 yrs old. He’s been there every step of the way to raise him, mentor, him, encourage him, discipline him, provide for him, and protect him. He’s been everything a father could and should be to Tyce.
The family’s goal, from the beginning, was for Eric to adopt him. Yet times are hard and finances are short. So both Tyce and Eric have had to be patient and settle for Eric's fulfilling the role of "awesome step-dad" rather than "adoptive father." But their patience may not have to hold out much longer if Tyce has his way.
He has committed himself fully to raising money and saving toward the legal fees necessary for him to officially take Jenkin’s name and to be able, finally, to call him his legal father.
"This is important because Eric teaches me respect, independence and what a man is supposed to be," explained Tyce. "If anything ever happens to my mom, Eric is who I'd want to live with. … Court is expensive," said Tyce. "I thought I could make enough money to pay for the adoption."
Tyce may have to work hard to pay the legal fees required to be officially recognized as Jenkin’s son, and good on him for doing so!
But thanks be to God that adoption into His family has been paid in full by Jesus Himself!
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7, ESV).
“This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring” (Romans 9:8, ESV).
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … “ (John 1:12, ESV).
Strong Hands Soothe Fear
It was bedtime and my wife and I had all the lights in the house turned off to help our little three-year-old son prepare for bed. The only shining light was in the room where the three of us were sitting. With a not-yet-tired voice, my son said, "Daddy, I need to go potty." Thankful that he was finally learning to use the bathroom on his own, I said, "OK, you know where the bathroom is." I watched as he skipped to the short hallway leading to the bathroom, only to see him turn and run back to me.
"Daddy, I can't go there. It's dark."
"Then turn the light on," I said flatly.
"Daddy, It's scary. I want you to come with me," my little son begged.
With a sigh, I got up and walked behind my son as he trotted toward the bathroom. When we reached the dark hallway, he turned to me and said, "Daddy, put your hands on my shoulders." I put my hands on his small shoulders and followed as he confidently walked on into the darkness.
"Why don't you turn the light on?" I asked.
"It's OK, Daddy. I don't need to," he said, "because you're with me."
How often we encounter the dark hallways of life! What gives us courage to walk boldly on when we can't see the outcome? With faith like a child, we cling to the knowledge that our Father's strong hands are on our shoulders! "Even if I walk through dark shadowy valleys, I will not fear, because You are with me!" (Psalm 23:4, paraphrased)