Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!! Amazing how many syllables a little southern boy like myself could add to a one syllable word like Dad. This method was usually invoked when my older brothers picked on me.
In Lawrenceburg, TN we lived in a very old creaky two story house. At 5 years of age I was sleeping in my own room and had my own closet. I mention the closet because if you walked through the closet there was a door to our attic. Even at a young age I knew that fear didn't come from the Lord. I thought for sure though that it must come from older siblings! They would tell me to lie real still in my bed at night and listen for the sound of rats trying to get through the attic door and into my room. Naturally, I began to fear the quiet. I would lie in bed and do anything to keep from being quiet until I became so weary that there was no choice but to fall asleep.
We live in a world today where people seem to fear being quiet. We are constantly surrounding ourselves with noise. If you have small children you have no choice, but even in those alone times in a car we tune into the radio or reach for our cell phones. Why are we afraid to be quiet? Are we afraid of what we might hear?
Today is the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I think about how quiet of a day it must have been following the crucifixion of Jesus as people retreated to their homes trying to understand what horrific thing they had just witnessed. I am reminded of two different Scriptures on this day. Jesus said, "I make all things new" which means a new beginning for all of us! Going back to the first beginning in Genesis 1:2 I read that God was hovering over the chaos. What a comfort to know that even on Friday as Jesus was being beaten and led to Calvary that God the Father was hovering over this chaotic day. God always brings order where there is none when we allow Him on the scene. God was even hovering over the disciples as their futures had been thrown into chaos and they hid in a tiny room.
I am also reminded of I Kings 19:11-12 when God revealed Himself to Elijah on the mountain. On Good Friday after Jesus had breathed His last breath God's anger was demonstrated through strong winds, an earthquake and fire. God was in all of those things that day. However, when Elijah waited on the mountain for the Lord to pass by he experienced a strong wind, an earthquake and fire, BUT God was not in those things!! For Elijah to experience the presence of God that day he had to be QUIET. God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice.
As you go about your Saturday and prepare for a Risen Savior do not be afraid to experience the deafening silence that surrounded the tomb on that day. Jesus was mocked while He hung on the cross for not performing a magical "life saving" trick. His silence through the trials had to have been disheartening for those who loved Him. I encourage you to not fear the quiet today because tomorrow we will hear the sound of a large stone rolling away followed by our Heavenly Father's voice saying, "It's OK".
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
1 am
"Hey Mom, Can I talk to Dad"?
I know that my mom's heart must have sunk everytime I called home and started the phone conversation that way. I could always imagine her leaning in to try and hear what was going on. Phone calls that began that way meant that there was a problem. My mom could fix a lot of things, but sometimes you just needed DAD!
When I lived in North Carolina I loved to travel around the state and visit friends. One guy who used to work with me had moved to Shelby, NC about two hours away. I wanted to see his new apartment so had made a road trip for the day. We had a wonderful visit. It was about midnight and had just begun to rain when I decided to head for home. Shelby was about 20 minutes off of the interstate and then it was an easy drive. I was a night owl so staying awake wasn't an issue. As I rounded a turn too quickly I hydroplaned off of the highway and ended up in a muddy ditch. The saying of "my life flashed before my eyes" is really true! Once I began breathing again I determined that the car was okay, but just needed to be pulled out on to the road again.
Since there were no cell phones and I had no way of talking to my earthly Dad I became thankful that I had a direct line to my Heavenly Dad!! All I needed to say was "Help"!! On that lonely North Carolina highway in the rain I stood stunned as I saw headlights approaching. A truck slowed down and passed me by. Wait!! He started backing up and rolled his window down. Upon hearing my plight he said, "Jump on in". That highway angel drove me to the interstate where I located a pay phone, reached a 24 hour towing service and was later pulled from that ditch. I was so overwhelmed all the way home as I realized that God was right there with me at 1am on that desolate stretch of road. I went from hopelessness to amazement in a matter of one hour!!
As we go through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday I have continually thought about the incredible weight that Jesus bore in those final hours. He retreated to the Garden so that he could talk to Dad!! Even as He hung on the cross dying for our sins He was talking to Dad.
I have had numerous phone conversations across the years that began with the words, "Hey Mom, can I talk to Dad"? Sometimes just the sound of his voice coming over the phone breaks me to tears because it is the voice that says everything will be okay. As I think about my Savior hanging on a cross and taking my place of punishment I can still be comforted in knowing that God's voice will ring out loud and clear on Sunday saying, "It's OK"!!!
I know that my mom's heart must have sunk everytime I called home and started the phone conversation that way. I could always imagine her leaning in to try and hear what was going on. Phone calls that began that way meant that there was a problem. My mom could fix a lot of things, but sometimes you just needed DAD!
When I lived in North Carolina I loved to travel around the state and visit friends. One guy who used to work with me had moved to Shelby, NC about two hours away. I wanted to see his new apartment so had made a road trip for the day. We had a wonderful visit. It was about midnight and had just begun to rain when I decided to head for home. Shelby was about 20 minutes off of the interstate and then it was an easy drive. I was a night owl so staying awake wasn't an issue. As I rounded a turn too quickly I hydroplaned off of the highway and ended up in a muddy ditch. The saying of "my life flashed before my eyes" is really true! Once I began breathing again I determined that the car was okay, but just needed to be pulled out on to the road again.
Since there were no cell phones and I had no way of talking to my earthly Dad I became thankful that I had a direct line to my Heavenly Dad!! All I needed to say was "Help"!! On that lonely North Carolina highway in the rain I stood stunned as I saw headlights approaching. A truck slowed down and passed me by. Wait!! He started backing up and rolled his window down. Upon hearing my plight he said, "Jump on in". That highway angel drove me to the interstate where I located a pay phone, reached a 24 hour towing service and was later pulled from that ditch. I was so overwhelmed all the way home as I realized that God was right there with me at 1am on that desolate stretch of road. I went from hopelessness to amazement in a matter of one hour!!
As we go through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday I have continually thought about the incredible weight that Jesus bore in those final hours. He retreated to the Garden so that he could talk to Dad!! Even as He hung on the cross dying for our sins He was talking to Dad.
I have had numerous phone conversations across the years that began with the words, "Hey Mom, can I talk to Dad"? Sometimes just the sound of his voice coming over the phone breaks me to tears because it is the voice that says everything will be okay. As I think about my Savior hanging on a cross and taking my place of punishment I can still be comforted in knowing that God's voice will ring out loud and clear on Sunday saying, "It's OK"!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)