Dear Dad

I am Dad! Daddy! The Man! El Hombre! Chief! I get called up for middle of the night response to bad dreams. I am the great bug slayer. I am expected to know how to fix every broken thing. I wrestle, joke, and tickle 'til smaller stomachs might erupt. I am the Enforcer (a job I do not like). And, on Saturdays when my wife works, I am Mom (a job I really don't like).

I enjoy my children immensely, and they enjoy me. My mind is flooded with memories and thoughts and worries about them. My wife and I half-joke that we can't remember life before children. Seriously though, the older memories are vague. To those who have no children, it is difficult to explain the energy expended (both physical and mental) raising kids. My deepest darkest fears (things I won't say out loud, and especially will not type here) all revolve around my children.

But, the love is intense. It is unbelievably intense. I really cannot describe the joy that I felt when they handed my son (our oldest)to me for the first time, the night he as born. He was (and is) beautiful. My hands were trembling, eyes tearing, heart pounding. We had a moment in the room when the nurse stepped out, my wife was still in post-op, and the in-laws hadn't come in yet. It was just us. He wasn't crying, and he wasn't asleep. We just looked at each other. It's indescribable, but it was powerful. I was dad.

In the same way, we can give God joy. It is amazing to me that the God of the universe can receive joy from us.

Luke 15:7
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

And this repentance along with faith in Jesus makes us sons (and daughters) of God (John 14:6).

Roman 8:15-16
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.

I am an extraordinarily flawed father. But God, the perfect Father, loves us perfectly and calls us His children, and rejoices over us when we come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ.

This is an amazing, glorious, truth.

True Lies...

Really, the truth about lies.

Romans 1:25

"For they (mankind) exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

And there it is. The indictment of all mankind. This is the reason we have false religion, cults, humanism, atheism, and sin of every conceivable variety.

Mankind is not on a quest for truth as some would suggest; he is ignoring the truth that is evident. Verse 18 of the same chapter says: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness..."

The temptation at this point would be to wag an angry finger at those sinners and press on. However, these verses really get at the heart of all sin, especially my own. I have never bowed the knee to a statue of some winged, dog-faced, animistic god; however, when I sin against my Creator I place myself (the creation) on a throne.

We (Christians) of all people have had the image of God restored in us, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We too once suppressed the truth, but now have the righteousness of God revealed in us, by faith. The lie has been exchanged for the truth. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost (sinners, now Christians). We are washed. We are justified. We are regenerated.

Titus 3:4-6

"But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."

THAT is THE truth. The King of all truths; The Gospel.

However, we can (and do at times) believe the lie that in creation we will find fulfillment. Phrases like these are sure indicators: "If I could just make more money...it's been a long week, I need to be entertained...if only I had that body, spouse, job, house, education...My life would really be great if..." (The possibilities really are endless). We suppress the truth. Worse, we exchange the truth for a lie. Really THE lie. It's the fundamental lie that has been told in various forms throughout history starting with Eve and continuing to this very moment. Here it is: "Something other than God is needed..."

But when we boil it down, they are things. God alone is eternal, and everything else is a created thing. That is ALL the lie can offer you. Always a thing. It can never last. It can never satisfy. It can never replace God. Even Satan at his most diabolical moment, the temptation of Christ, had nothing to offer except a thing. In Matthew 4, he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem and offered Him all the kingdoms of the world. Satan has this one shot to try to corrupt the Savior. He offers the best fare he can muster... and it is still just a thing. The supposed benefits of sin are just temporary things, and can never satisfy.

Jesus saw through the lie... by His grace I pray we will, too.