A Father's Heart!

Father's day is coming up and I wanted to share something I have learned from the heart of both my earthly and heavenly father. Let me start with a story.

A retired man comes to Administer Justice because he is being treated unfairly by a creditor. He purchased some appliances on a no payments for six month plan and had the money to pay for the appliances. However, the company listed the appliances twice and double billed him. He went to the store manager several times and was repeatedly told it would be corrected. His statement would come and instead of being corrected new interest and penalty payments would appear. In the interim a charge appeared for card insurance protection coverage to guard against identity theft which he never authorized and did not want.

The gentleman called the corporate office and spoke to someone who told him he had to speak to a different department. He talked to that person and was told everything would be corrected. It was not. He called back and was told he could not speak to the same person again - it was against company policy. He talked to someone new - this time in a different state - and was again told it would be corrected. It was not. The final straw came when he received a collection notice that he had been turned over for collection for a debt he did not owe. Having never paid a bill late or been in collection in his entire life, he didn't know what more he could do.

The stress from the whole incredible ordeal was great and he suffered a heart attack! How much more unfair could life be?

The Bible tells us: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." If there is one thing I can attest to it is that the man described above is pure in heart because he is my father. I am very grateful that he is not seeing God directly just yet as the doctors were able to surgically correct the problem with minimal permanent damage.

When Jesus was addressing the crowds he was talking about more than seeing God in eternity. He was telling us that the pure in heart will see God at work in all things. They can experience the peace of God even in the midst of life's storms. My father was a pastor for forty years yet even he is not immune from the unfairnesses of life. Most of the individuals I meet think that the stress and unfairness they are enduring is unique to them and no one can understand the depth of difficulty they are in. That is not true. Every person experiences conflict and trials, but not every person can consider it pure joy to do so. Not every person is blessed to see the hand of God at work in the midst of the struggles and challenges of life as He stretches and challenges our faith to teach us perseverance and reliance upon nothing else but Him. My father is so blessed and it is a blessing he has shared with me.

It was Jesus who promised us “In this world you will have trouble…” and boy he wasn’t kidding! However, he also told us that in Him we could find peace and that no matter how great the trial we could take heart because he overcame the world. Since Jesus was perfect it is a little hard sometimes to take solace in his sufferings, even though it is certainly true that he was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering… Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.” Isa. 53:3-4.

There are others who were not God who certainly were no strangers to suffering. Paul gives a litany of abuses that I cannot begin to imagine and yet he could still say that whether well fed or hungry, naked or clothed, he had learned the secret of being content whatever his circumstance. The other disciples were all martyred except for John which is some pretty extreme suffering. The list of men and women in Hebrews 11 always gives hope because of this great cloud of witnesses who suffered extreme injustice in the hope of eternal life. So what can we say? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom. 8:35,37.

Admittedly, Paul and the men and women of Hebrews 11 seem like a tough act to follow but there are modern day examples as well. Corrie Ten Boom suffered horrible injustices at the hands of the Nazi’s and yet she could forgive her oppressors. How fair is it that Elizabeth Elliot should have her husband taken from her when he was trying to serve the Lord and yet she could write: “God is God. I dethrone him in my heart if I demand that he act in ways that satisfy my idea of justice… The one who laid the earth’s foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn. He gives all the light we need for trust and obedience.” Through the Gates of Splendor. And what about Joni Erickson Tada? She has learned the secret of being content whatever her circumstances and they are difficult. And what about my own father? What has happened to him is certainly not fair, but he like these others can see God at work even in the midst of the struggles of life.

The problems of this world are many but they are temporary distractions when compared with eternity. Our challenge is to keep our focus off of the things around us and keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember we are not alone in our struggles. Like many before us, God has promised to supply all our needs according to his vast riches in glory.

Satan can try to destroy us but nothing can separate us from the love of God. Paul wrote: “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Rom. 5:2-5. So we need not be discouraged. Do not allow the devil a foothold. Instead we should be filled to the full measure of God’s grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. Reading the Psalms or Romans 5 and Romans 8 can help us through the difficult trials of life. We can take courage from those who have gone before us and who share in our sufferings even now and know that all things truly do work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose!

Those are lessons rooted in the word of God that I learned as they have been lived out in the life of my father. I am grateful for his heart which while frail from a human perspective is strong in the Lord. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall indeed see God in all things. Thank you Dad. Thank you Father!