See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (1 John 3:1 NLT)
June… The month where mothers around the world collectively breathe a sigh of relief. The school year is over and—thank you, Jesus—no homework or spelling tests or math facts or… until September. We did it! We made it. We may have some bumps and bruises (especially from the month of May), but we made it. Bring on the Summer sunshine.
As the month rolls on and we settle-in to our more relaxed routines, we have the chance to shower our husbands and fathers with love and appreciation on Father’s Day. Backyard barbecues, rounds of golf, steak dinners, and baseball games fill our Sunday afternoon with the things Dad loves. But like most holidays, this day dedicated to dads can make some feel sad, lonely, regretful, resentful, angry or a list a mile long of other emotions.
Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have troubles. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” We can all take heart in the knowledge that Jesus has overcome the brokenness of this world, and rest in the arms of our heavenly Abba, Father.
Like most fathers, our Abba has some advice for us (and since He created the universe, it’s probably best to listen). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is approached by a rich man and asked what he should do to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jesus recites the Ten Commandments, and the man replies that he has done all of these. And then Jesus said, “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
This verse has nothing to do with money…weird, right? It has everything to do with the things we allow to come between us and God. For some of us, it is money. For me, it was an unconfessed sin that I held onto for years. Before I started ministry leadership, I could clearly hear God urging me to let it go. When I finally did (thanks to Him alone), it was like a giant brick wall had been demolished, and I could feel the presence of God in a much more intimate way. I was free.
God is the Perfect Father. So like any good dad, He only has our best interest in mind. He wants us to live life to the fullest, taking advantage of every opportunity He places in our paths. He knows as well as we do that we can’t have His best for us when we allow something—anything—to come between us.
How about we make the most of our kids not having homework and do a little homework of our own? Let’s get on our knees and ask God what is standing between us. Then let’s get out our sledgehammers and—through His power—destroy it. Destroy the thing that keeps you from intimacy with your Father.
Now that’s some good advice.
xo, Elly
