Daughter Shoes

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother ' - which is the first commandment with a promise - 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'" (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Every female, no matter what their age, is a daughter. So, all daughters wear daughter shoes. It is part of who we are. Some wear them joyfully, others do not. Many daughters have cruel, unloving fathers. Some have fathers who are cold and uncaring. Others have fathers who are kind and loving. I was blessed to be in this last group.

My father was easy to honor. If one word were used to describe him, it would be "LOVE". He was the embodiment of love. Love was demonstrated through how he lived his life, his interaction with others, his family, his wife, and with his Savior, Jesus Christ. His approach to life was to laugh and enjoy it. He took the Proverb that a merry heart is good medicine and ran with it! His merry heart enabled my father to laugh at himself and enabled others to laugh as well. Rare is the person who would leave my father's presence without a lighter heart.

As a child I thought my Dad was the most wonderful man in the world. When I was sick, he would lay his hand on my forehead and pray for me. When I needed a hug, he was always ready to oblige. As I matured, he was there to edit my papers, help me with Algebra, and transport me to where I needed to go. All of my father's behavior and words modeled the love of Christ to me. When I was in eighth grade, it was very natural to pray with my father to become a follower of Jesus.

My image of my father never changed throughout his entire life. His was a life without duplicity - what others saw away from home was what I saw in the home. He loved me, and I knew it. Even when he was old and frail, my father would always greet me, "My darling daughter..." His eyes would light up and he would reach from his wheelchair to give me a hug.

This precious earthly father went home to be with my Heavenly Father on September 12, 2010. He was a faithful son. It is a joy to know that I will see him again!

For some of you, the task of giving honor to your earthly father seems impossible. Whatever the reason for this, please be reminded of one thing: you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. He is not capricious. He has adopted you as his daughter and you are a co-heir with Christ! Your Heavenly Father has asked that you give honor to your earthly father. If you struggle with that, remember that as you honor your earthly father you give honor to your Heavenly Father. And He is worthy of honor.

Maybe you have not seen your father for years and do not desire to do so. Pray for him. Send him a card. No response? Keep praying. Keep sending the cards. If your father responds with unkind words, respond with words of kindness. Continue to pray. Be a daughter who works to honor her Heavenly  Father.

"'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18) 

Running Shoes

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12: 1-3)

There are many images presented in the Bible that are both literal and figurative. The running of a race is one such image. Some of us like to "go for a run", while others have no desire to do so. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are not given a choice. We are to wear running shoes every day. And we are to run.

Each of us has been given a race marked out especially for us by the Creator of the universe. Your race is not mine; mine is not yours. While the races are all different, God has given all of us the same directives about how to run:

• We are to get rid of everything that hinders us.
• We are to avoid sin.
• We are to persevere.
• We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, remembering all that He endured on our behalf.
• We are to not grow weary and not lose heart.

The most important in this list is to fix our eyes on Jesus. To focus upon Jesus enables us to accomplish all the other directives. Without the proper focus, we can do nothing.

As a PW, how does this specifically apply to you and me? Consider if there is anything that hinders your race. Have you been hurt by comments made to you or others within the church? Give that hurt to Jesus. Have you been tempted to sin? Confess the sin and avoid it! Are you weary and worn? Upgrade your training regimen by spending more time with your Trainer and His Book. Last, remember that your goal is not to please the church leadership or its members. Your goal is to win the prize for which God has called you. Forget the past and keep running!

"...but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me....But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."               (Philippians 3: 12a-14)

 

Stormy Sea Shoes

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." (Psalm 139:7-10)

I am riding on some stormy seas right now. All the churning is a result of events that took place almost a year ago. Just when I think that the churning will stop, another wave of reminders comes my way to knock me down. The waves speak to me. "Nothing is the same anymore," they say. I consider this. For the every day activities, this statement may be true. About 80% of my life is radically different. The remaining 20% is the part that never changes - the important part. The truth expressed in Psalm 139 will NEVER change. It is a solid rock.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the hymn Jesus I am Resting. At the time, I did not know the writer of the words. A friend recently provided me with the information. The authoress is Jean Sophia Pigott. The hymn was written in 1876 and said to be a favorite hymn of J. Hudson Taylor. Because of wearing my stormy sea shoes, I am going to share the full text of the hymn with you. Perhaps the words will bring encouragement to you when you are wearing "stormy sea shoes".

 "Jesus I am resting, resting, in the joy of what thou art; I am finding out the greatness of the loving heart. Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fills my soul, For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole."

"O, how great Thy loving kindness, Vaster, broader than the sea! O, how marvelous Thy goodness, Lavished all on me! Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved, Know what wealth of grace is Thine, Know Thy certainty of promise, And have made it mine."

" Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art, And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart. Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need, Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed."

"Ever lift Thy face upon me as I work and wait for Thee; Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, Earth's dark shadows flee. Brightness of my Father's glory, Sunshine of my Father's face, Keep me ever trusting, resting, Fill me with Thy grace."

Ride the churning waves of change, hurt, frustration, disappointment and weariness if you must, but remember Who made the waves.