1 ¶ Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,
that we should be called children of God! ~ 1 John 3:1 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
Almost 40 years have passed since I began my ministerial studies. Indeed, I’m still learning every day. And over that long period of time, I’ve asked my teachers a lot of questions.
One of the first questions I asked my professor was “Why did God make people?” I liked the answer he gave: “God made people for the same reason people want to have children. He wanted to be able to fellowship with them. And He likes to watch them grow.”
My goodness, what a wonderful answer this is. In my way of thinking, the foremost joy of parenthood is watching how your children (and grandchildren) grow.
Almost every day Susan and I spend some time recounting the most recent “trick” Baby Landon has learned. Just this morning, when I handed him his morning juice he shouted “CUP!” with perfect pronunciation and diction. I couldn’t get him to say it again, though….
Every earthly father is thrilled with each new achievement — each baby step — his infant attains. And yet, an earthly father never wants his child to stop there; he wants his children to be everything they can possibly be. I believe this happens because earthly fathers are made in the image of our Heavenly Father.
This week, be encouraged as you think of how deeply you are loved by our God. Know that He is pleased with your tiniest efforts. But never stop striving to love Him and follow Him with your whole heart.
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 32 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He’s a retired Mississippi public schoolteacher with grown sons and is now a stay-at-home-grandpa with his grandson, Landon Cash. He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in a brick house in town (where the grandbaby is working on a bottle of antibiotics.) You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com.
