Devotional 6-13-08

If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. --John 14:7

Happy Fathers' Day

When I was a kid, we had a puny magnolia tree which continually dropped its leaves, much to the chagrin of my father. He would pick them up, almost as soon as they hit the ground, and I would make fun of him and his compulsion. Fast forward several decades and now I have two large magnolia trees and every spring as I rake up bag after bag of those big, annoying leaves, I mutter to myself, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9).

In the past couple of years, I've reconnected with a high school classmate I hadn't seen in almost 40 years via the Internet. In our catching-up notes to each other she wrote: I've been meaning to let you know something about your dad. . I remember once when we were all going out, me, you and a couple of others (in my dad's 1967 silver and black GTO) I went to your door to get you and saw the most wonderful sight. .. your dad sitting in a chair in a darkened room and feeding your baby brother.. the one who was born during our senior year. I've never forgotten that beautiful sight.. . it has just stayed with me all this time.

I guess that scene stayed with her because my Dad was a hands-on dad in an era when many men bragged that they'd never changed a diaper. He always helped out with us kids and I could volunteer him to drive me and my girlfriends to away football games and he never complained, at least not so I could hear. Today, my younger brothers are wonderful, hands-on fathers, who are totally involved with their children. If you have seen them, you have seen their father.

One of my prized possessions is a letter my Dad sent shortly after I was married which contains these words, "Never forget that houses are just houses, but homes are filled with love." At the Last Supper, Jesus told his followers, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me that you may also be where I am." (John 14: 2-3).

How fortunate are we to have a hands-on savior? One who not only lived with us but goes on ahead to prepare a place for us, and even sent a Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to help us out in the meantime. Jesus told his disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much you want us to come home and live with you forever. In the name of your Son who showed us the way, amen.

Anita Gardner Farrell