My Father’s Love
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I never doubted my father’s love for my brother, four sisters, and me. He was more devoted to us than any of my friend’s dads were to their children. He always made us feel special, and all of us believed that he loved us best. Even after all these years, each one of us still thinks that he loved us more.
I know that many will not have experienced the love of a father. More so today than when I was growing up. It makes it much harder for some to understand God’s love. Most of you reading this will know, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
That is the kind of Heavenly Father we have. He, through Jesus, has given it all for us. When we accept Him, we became part of the perfect family for eternity.
At first, I was going to name this lesson “Father Loved Me.” Then I realized that this was so self-centered because my earthly father loved all of us in his unique way. Even as God loves us as individuals, each is made different by His intent and for His purpose.
My father did not accept Jesus as his Savior until he was in his fifties, yet he raised two sons to pastor churches. His oldest son served as a minister and missionary for over 50 years. At 93, he still works as he can to publish and send evangelistic books to missionaries.
Mother taught Bible
Our mother taught us from the Bible and made sure we got to church every Sunday, but I believe our Father’s love helped us understand God’s love more. He was our earthly provider and protector, and he was stronger than anyone we knew.
He never went to church with us as children. No one would ever think that he was a Christian, and he would have told you he was not. Yet everyone respected him and was glad to call him their friend.
He taught us to work hard and never take anything we had not earned. Lying or speaking evil of anyone was forbidden. Dad taught us to respect and help the elderly as well as anyone else in need.
He was the good Samaritan
Though poor by most standards, he always helped anyone he found in need. He would give away his last dollar if he thought you needed it. My father was the good Samaritan Jesus taught about in Luke 10:27-37.
When people broke down on the road, Dad would bring them to our house to share our food with them and keep them warm. Then he would put on his heavy coat if during the winter and go out to fix their car. He never asked for pay, even when he had to get parts.
We met a lot of interesting people as my father helped them.
Father was firm
He was firm with us, and we knew that there was always a penalty for doing wrong. Dad worked away from home a lot, and when he got home, his first question to Mom was, “Did they behave?” We always wanted her to be able to say, “Yes!”
He spanked me ten times as a young boy, and way into adulthood, I could tell you what I had done to earn each spanking. The last spanking I got was the worst. He held me close and told me to cry as he spanked his own leg.
He paid the price for what I had done wrong and, in his way, helped me to understand what God did for us when He gave His Son. My father spanked his leg much harder than he would ever have spanked me.
God woke me up
It took me many years, in fact, until God woke me last night, reminding me of our father’s love and the kind of men he had raised my brother and me to be. But, unfortunately, I never gave him the credit due him until now. He knew we loved him but had no idea the effect he had on our lives.
Sometimes it takes an act of God to show you the things He has done in your life to prepare you to serve Him. For example, I realize now that You not only, “created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb,” (Psalm 139:13-14) but You were molding me all my life for what You still have for me to do.
Now at 78, I know that I have little time left to serve Him, but He showed me that I would reach more people in the few years I have left than in all the years past.
So what about you?
Do you believe that a Christian should retire? Did any of the apostles retire? What has changed when a Christian gets old?
God’s direct command has not changed and will not change until His return.
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15b-16
Your job is not done until all the world hears the gospel message. We can not stop because we are old. How old was Moses when God sent him back to Egypt? How old was John when he wrote the Book of Revelation?
God has always used those willing, young or old. So if you are a believer and willing, He has a job for you.
He has been preparing you all your life for the job He has for you. I can not tell you how God plans to use you, but I am sure that as long as He gives you breath, He intends to use you to reach others.
Bruce, you brought back many memories of our earthly father. When mother was spitting mad because I got into her lipstick again, he said “Now little’n, we just have to punish you this time. ” He took a trembling 5-year-old into the parlor, put me across his knee, raised his hand and said “Now, when I hit my leg, yell!!” I yelled loud. I also never touched mama’s makeup again.
Daddy may not have been a publicly confirmed Christian, but he practiced Christianity without ever making any claims or asking for rewards. And I, too remember some visitors who had broken down on their way to CA and daddy put them up for at least 3 days. We did not have a grand or large home (we rented, and we gardened, and we bartered) and what meager offerings we had were gladly shared with strangers. These particular strangers were not strangers when they left us. They said they would send money when they could. Daddy shook hands with the man and said to send it if he could, but do not place this before the health and care of your family.
Don’t know if he ever heard from them, but our eldest brother, Walter, said daddy told hime once that he could leave home and travel across the country with $5.00, and return with $10.00. A man like our father has many friends all over the country only too happy to repay a kindness. That speaks of “Good Samaritanism” if nothing else does.
Praise God