Dear Friend:
As I sat in church this past Sunday the sermon touched my heart, and I feel compelled to pass a story on 2 your heart.
The speaker was telling his story of his 2007 summer trip with his family. On a beach in California, with his13 year old son they, joyfully dove into the cold water excited to spend time together. Soon as they got over the cold water shock and the fun of the waves they both began to realize that the tide had pulled them out further than expected and farther out of the sight of family members. Panic began to set in the Father’s heart realizing he was in over his head and out of control. As thoughts of death raced through his head all that came to him as a God fearing man was the embarrassment now of not praying, but looking at his wife and other children on the beach and the panic growing on his son’s face. The Father was lacking energy, scared and struggling, but knew he had to get to his son. Once the father reached him, the boy tried to climb on him and they were both going under. Then the Father tried to throw his son toward the beach which really only moved him a few feet. He just kept pushing him forward. At the same time realizing the boy needed to take his energy and put it to use also or they would both die. The boy’s reflection afterward recounted “I was underwater and had given up, and then suddenly from below, my dad threw me up and out of the water. It was only after that, I got hope and began trying to swim.” The boy became engaged and began to swim with all his might. The Father’s determination began to feel like hope, overwhelming love and God’s goodness. After what seemed like 30 minutes, the Father with one last push got the son into the arms of an Uncle making his way out into the water. The Father sighs with relief that his son is saved and almost gives up himself, but with every last drop of energy he gets to the Uncle who brings him ashore. The Father was rescued but felt very sick and very weak. He takes the week to recover, but only to end up in the hospital near home very sick with kidney failure caused from complete muscle exhaustion. Upon weeks of being toxic and having kidney dialysis he survives but is 32 pounds lighter. The weeks of uncertainty were very hard on the whole family.
As the son tells his story “after being rescued standing on the beach watching his Father struggle to make it, a peace came over me. I knew how much my Father loved me and I knew that my Father was at peace seeing me safe.”
This reflection that the boy read from his own diary after the incident, struck me. Let me explain. Being around people who have experienced from their parents wounds, tiredness from rejection, betrayal and lack of love, I have seen so many people today have a lack of sensing love from the Father in heaven for them because of their earthly Father. Asking people if they want to have a personal relationship with Jesus is a big leap. If our earthly relationships with those we trusted have been damaged, that makes it very hard to rest in the arms of a Heavenly Father. Right there in church I witnessed a perfect example of Fatherly love for a son and that translated into the life for a son of such assurance of who he was and who his father is. The Father paved a way for his son to understand the Father’s love and except Jesus freely and together they will make a difference in this world.
I ask you today, how do you view your Father on earth? Pray today, Father in heaven is there anything blocking me from receiving your unconditional love?
A Father’s love for his son/daughter is something so huge. Can we grasp it if we have been hurt by our earthly Father? I can tell you I have seen it over and over again, it can be hard. Listening for the answer on this prayer will take time. I guarantee if there is someone you need to forgive and release to God, this will be the greatest revival in your soul. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth exploring.
I am adding this right before I was about to send this out. My friend’s husband died this week after a 5 week battle with cancer, he was just 60 years old. At the funeral his daughter got up to say a few words, she quoted this verse.
Psalms 86:5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
After quoting this verse she told the story of how her Father had to come to her once and ask her for forgiveness for the way he handled something with her earlier. That is what stuck out in her mind for all the years that they spent together. She said “the earthly Father points you to the heavenly Father.” That is what he did for her throughout her life, by example his actions were like the Father in heaven, forgiving and loving.
Elaine
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