He's No Stick in the Mud
Theme of the Week: Why We Call Him Father
Friday, August 4, 2006
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: "We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine … has returned to life … " So the party began (Luke 15:23-24). Bonus Reading: Psalm 149:1-6a
In Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son, his father reveals God's heart for celebration with His children. When the son returned home, he declared a feast to celebrate their reunion. I can see them sharing and laughing together. God is like this with us.
In my youth, great times with my dad helped me capture God's heart for celebration. I vividly recall sitting in a rowboat watching my dad fly-fish along a pristine river in northern Wisconsin. Or the times he made breakfast, while camping, with the aroma of bacon and eggs over an open fire beside a lake.
The television classic Bonanza, which I faithfully watched as a kid, also spoke to me. Ben Cartwright was a great dad to three sons on a ranch in the west. They were wonderfully connected: Ben and his sons worked and played together. They mended fences, stacked hay, and drove cattle. They took long rides on horseback while taking in the beauty of the ranch. They shared meals, laughed freely, and told stories. Through it all ran a warm current of shared celebration. God is like this with us.
When we, as dads, find ways to celebrate with our children, we reflect God's heart for celebration.
—James Hilt in Wisconsin
My Response: How have I experienced the "high five" side of being God's child?
Thought to Apply: To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be fair and that there will be wonderful surprises.—UGO BETTI (Italian playwright)
Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
 share this page
Thank You, Lord, that You are not a distant deity, but a personal God who reaches out to relate to us as Your sons and daughters.
Men of Integrity
Connect with God | Transform my Mind | Live by His Power
Relate Better | Make an Impact
Home | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try an Issue of Men of Integrity
Free!
|
 |
|
No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders.
If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
Give Men of Integrity as a gift
Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| |
|
RSS Feed
