Lately Father, I find it comforting that I can’t get You off my mind. You are in my thoughts, even when I am relaxed and not wound tight, when I do the little things that don’t matter much in life, I find myself looking for Your face. I constantly wonder if You are happy with me, am I pleasing You, are You smiling with me – crying with me? I find myself thanking You for even the most trivial events in my day, and praising You for all those big things that make life - Life. I guess it has been a gradual thing – but lately events have made me more aware and conscious of Your presents. So I found myself asking this morning – why is it that I love You so and what brought me here?
Dear Father, here is what I came up with, which I know is no surprise to You. Your Spirit, which You gave me as a gift to comfort me has convinced my heart gently but firmly of my inability to see You or get to You without petitions to Your Son. He gently prompts my heart to read and listen to your word. I find myself thanking You many times a week for placing me where You have, and providing and placing a loving Pastor that taught and mentored in Your will. The Holy Spirit has shown me that without that which You first gave me, I am a condemned man, without excuse. That even in the presence of Your precious Gift and Blessings – I am but a worm dwelling in the rotten apple we call reality.
The man I thought I was – now looks back at me from what seems to be a distant past. He taunts me over the things that are different, but when I look back through straining eyes I find it harder to recognize that image of the past. Today, I realized that because You have taught me how to love You, that image I strain to see is no longer the man that You see. You have placed people in my life to remind me of that old pit once in awhile, but I feel You leading me more into the new creation You are teaching me to rejoice in. I find myself sitting in the quiet of my study, peaceful and content to rest in Your arms. The truth of Your word coming alive off the pages and speaking to my heart – it is Your voice I hear. I yearn so much to seek Your face, to be with You, to walk with You – this is a love that You are teaching me.
This man You gave me as my earthly father has sought You father and You speak to him as well. Praise You for answering prayer, thank You for touching hearts that were once cold, glory to You for 1st choosing us when we were yet still in our wretchedness. Father, You have shown me Yourself in the eyes of this man I call Dad. You have shown me tenderness through the heart of this man that I once thought was heartless. I once heard that a man’s perception of You is directly correlated to the relationship he has with his earthly father. With me – You proved the opposite, if we don’t first honor our relationship with You; we can never fully enjoy the relationship with the earthly father You gave us. Praise be to You Father, for working a good work in my heart, and showing my dad and I the best You have to offer – in your Son Jesus Christ.
Why do I love you so? Because I am compelled to – because as part of that transaction @ the cross, you gave me a cleanly washed heart to seek you out – and wonder in Your love – unconditional and unbridled to those that truly seek Your face. Thank You Father, for all the Godly Fathers through the ages, Abraham, Issac, Moses, as well as those in my linage – Robert Tormey, John Hall & Byron Hall. Thank You Father, for the role models that you have placed in our lives, Joseph, Joshua, Peter, Paul and today’s role models like Stephen Burns, Marvin Apple & all the Godly Pastor's that love your people and sacrifice for them.
Praise Your Holy Name - I Love You Father!
