Making Dad Proud

Hebrews 13:1-17

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2013%3A1-17&version=NIV;NLT

 

Growing up there wasn’t anybody that I wanted to make proud of me more than my Father. I desperately needed his love and approval, and I’d do anything to get it.

 

Before my senior year of high school, my Dad got a job in a different state. Because I wanted to finish school with my childhood friends, my parents made arrangements for me to live with a family friend.

 

With plans to leave soon, my parents came to the last football game that they would ever see me play. The problem was that I spent most of my time on the bench.

 

Desperately wanting to get into the game to do something special, the coach called my name. I wanted to do something, anything to make my Dad notice me; to make him proud; to make him stand up and yell, “That’s my son!”

 

Hebrews 13 gives us a lot of ways to please God. In the first paragraph alone, the writer says to love one another; to show hospitality; to remember those that are in prison;1 and to comfort those who are suffering.

 

He also reminds us that God is always with us; that he will never leave us; that he is the same “yesterday, today and forever”; and that Jesus suffered and died for us to make us holy. And how are we to respond to who God is and what He has done?

 

¹⁵ Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.           NLT

 

In the moment of that high school football game, I would have run through a brick wall for my Dad. Instead, I picked out an overweight defensive lineman who was huffing and puffing about twenty yards from the ball carrier and leveled him with my best block ever. My Dad never mentioned the play.

 

But I have a Heavenly Father who is always with me; who loves me the same as He did yesterday, today and tomorrow no matter what I do or don’t do; who loved me so much that He sent His one and only son to die for me.

 

That’s the Dad that I want to make proud of me.

 

 

 

 

Murphy's Law

Romans 5:1-5

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205%3A1-5&version=NIV;NLT

  

When I was first married, we had a small leak in our half bath downstairs. When I tried to repair it, instead of tightening the pipes, I disconnected them. Do you know how small those pipes are? And do you know what small pipes do to water pressure? Water shot out of there so hard and fast that pieces of toilet paper were blasted onto the ceiling.

 

That was a perfect example of Murphy’s Law which is, “Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. Yup! Been there, done that!

 

My co-worker recently had a streak of bad luck. First her stove died and they went for weeks before the replacement arrived. Then one of their cars was making some weird noises. Several hundred dollars later, the noise was gone. Finally, the dish washer started leaking and had to be replaced. Have you ever heard of the saying, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all”? Been there, done that!

 

Adversity, affliction, problems, struggles, suffering, issues, trials, temptations, testing, or troubles - whatever you want to call them; we’ve all experienced them. But Paul and James suggest dealing with them in a highly unusual way.

 

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.    NLT

 

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.      James 1 NIV

 

To respond to adversity with rejoicing or pure joy seems not only counterintuitive, but ridiculous. Why would you do such a thing? I’m glad you asked.

 

⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.   NIV

 

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.         Romans 8 NLT

This is not to say that adversity isn’t hard, because it is. But even in adversity, we can know that God is with us; He is working in our life to draw us closer to Him; and that He loves us no matter what happens.

 

 

That, my friend, is cause to rejoice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wall

Philippians 1:3-6

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201%3A3-6&version=NIV;NLT

  

Marathon runners talk about hitting “the wall”. It is defined as “that period in a marathon when running changes from being pretty hard to being really, really hard. It is the point where your body and mind are simultaneously tested. It's the perfect intersection of fatigue and diminished mental faculties”. (Taken from Active.com)

 

The Philippian believers had been partners with Paul in ministry ever since they first believed. After responding to his message, they immediately joined in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Paul gives thanks for the Philippians. But not just for that reason.

 

⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.    NLT

 

There are a lot of pitfalls in life that can knock us down, or even lead us down the wrong path. The Philippians experienced them. You’ve experienced them. The Good News is that God is always at work in your life; working to bring you closer to Him; and working through you in the lives of people you know.

 

How do you keep your faith in the midst of trials and temptations? The author of Hebrews wrote about the great examples of the faith. Despite that, all of them had their own struggles with sin… with life.  

 

There is no simple formula to follow; no easy answers to finishing well. In fact, there are as many examples of those who didn’t finish well. But remember this: just like with the Philippian believers, God is faithful, “yesterday, today and tomorrow”.

 

Like a marathon runner, you may have reached “the wall” in your life. But remember, you can still finish well! And when you do, then you can be 100% certain to hear these words: “Well done my good and faithful servant”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behind Door #1

Revelation 4:1-11

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+4%3A1-11&version=NIV;NLT

In 1963, Monty Hall was the original host of “Let’s Make a Deal”. The show continues today under the same premise as when it originated. Contestants have to choose between prizes that are relatively known, and what is behind Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3. “What’s a person to do? Oh my!”

 

John saw a door of a different nature with a different prize behind it.

 

¹ Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”          NLT

 

In John’s vision of Heavenly worship, he describes God as the brilliant image of someone sitting on the throne. Then he goes on to describe the scene that surrounds the throne including the living beings and the elders. They are the ones who worship God continuously.

 

⁸ Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
    the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”            NLT

 

¹⁰ …the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

¹¹ “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”     NLT

 

Most likely, you’ve never experienced worship like this before. But when we come together to worship God, we are in His presence, just like John’s vision. There may not be strange looking creatures or a throne surrounded by gemstones or lightning and thunder; but, be assured that your Heavenly Father is there.

 

So the next time you have the opportunity to choose what’s behind the door that has flashing lights with heavenly and earthly beings in it, choose that door. You’ll win an eternal prize beyond your wildest imagination.