By Mike Shoesmith
Tomorrow is a bitter-sweet day for me. My biological father disowned me soon after my "born again" experience. I have learned to live with that. Sometimes people reach a point in their lives when they realize they've been 'had' by their own parents.
He did the best he could with what he had to work with. We shouldn't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. All is forgiven.
Having said that I must also explain that through spiritual adoption I am now a son of God, an existential reality only few can accurately claim. And I happen to be one of those sentimental saps who verbally expresses a "happy Father's day" to God on that day. But this is not the father to which I refer.
The ten commandments instruct us to honor our mother and father. Paul says it is the first commandment with a "promise." However, it is very interesting that Paul actually adds three very significant words to the commandment - "in the Lord."
A young man came to Jesus and said "I want to follow you but please allow me to bury my father first." Jesus' response has been very profound in my life. He said to the man - "let the dead bury the dead, you follow me." Wait, the man was simply trying to honor his father per the commandment. But was Jesus ushering in the reality of the born-again requirement? Was He ramping up the manifestation of the adoption process - that those who want to serve the Lord MUST be "born again" and adopted out of this earthly existence and into the family of God, with YHWH as our father? It appears so.
Armed with this knowledge we can go back to Paul's three-word alteration of the commandment and more clearly comprehend it. Paul referred to himself as a father to Timothy. He even told Philemon he owed Paul his life! Those are powerful words.
I believe Paul was referring to parents "in the Lord" as those who led us to the womb of the adoption agency, mentored us in the early stages, and watched us grow and mature in the Lord ourselves. If I am right then I have such a man in my life whom I may honor this Father's Day. His name is Randy Gearhart. He pastors a small church in Dublin GA.
Happy Father's Day Randy.
Tomorrow is a bitter-sweet day for me. My biological father disowned me soon after my "born again" experience. I have learned to live with that. Sometimes people reach a point in their lives when they realize they've been 'had' by their own parents.
He did the best he could with what he had to work with. We shouldn't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. All is forgiven.
Having said that I must also explain that through spiritual adoption I am now a son of God, an existential reality only few can accurately claim. And I happen to be one of those sentimental saps who verbally expresses a "happy Father's day" to God on that day. But this is not the father to which I refer.
The ten commandments instruct us to honor our mother and father. Paul says it is the first commandment with a "promise." However, it is very interesting that Paul actually adds three very significant words to the commandment - "in the Lord."
A young man came to Jesus and said "I want to follow you but please allow me to bury my father first." Jesus' response has been very profound in my life. He said to the man - "let the dead bury the dead, you follow me." Wait, the man was simply trying to honor his father per the commandment. But was Jesus ushering in the reality of the born-again requirement? Was He ramping up the manifestation of the adoption process - that those who want to serve the Lord MUST be "born again" and adopted out of this earthly existence and into the family of God, with YHWH as our father? It appears so.
Armed with this knowledge we can go back to Paul's three-word alteration of the commandment and more clearly comprehend it. Paul referred to himself as a father to Timothy. He even told Philemon he owed Paul his life! Those are powerful words.
I believe Paul was referring to parents "in the Lord" as those who led us to the womb of the adoption agency, mentored us in the early stages, and watched us grow and mature in the Lord ourselves. If I am right then I have such a man in my life whom I may honor this Father's Day. His name is Randy Gearhart. He pastors a small church in Dublin GA.
Happy Father's Day Randy.
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