Dear Old Dad

"We are now called to imitate our Father, to sing like Him ... To speak and it's His voice they hear. To love and they know God is with us, reaching out to them."

JOHNNY CASH'S GRANDSON sounds like Johnny Cash. Willie Nelson's son sounds exactly like Willie Nelson. I can think of others, children who look like or sound like their parent. Clint Eastwood's son is a young Clint Eastwood. And switching genres, in the pulpit and behind the mic, we hear Matt Hagee, Sarah Reeves, Richard Roberts, Priscilla Shirer ... the list goes on. Franklin Graham, Anthony Evans, Bill Johnson and his son, Brian Johnson, Kenneth W. Hagin, Annette Capps, Jeremy Pearsons and his mother, Terri Pearsons, Jerriann Savelle, Terri Savelle Foy. These few names plucked from the top of my head. In the church, called to walk in their parent's footsteps, sounding like them and looking like them, across denominations, are voices God would not allow to die.

From David came Solomon. From Paul came Timothy, his son in the faith, and many others as well. In local churches and on the more national view are children who are who they are because of the steady faith of Mom and Dad. I am a direct product of Wayne and Becky Combee. These words I write which sound like them are because of them. From Israel to a thousand generations were to come children who knew the Law and the words of the prophets. From the voices of the young was to be heard Abraham and Isaac, Jacob, and Joshua. Joshua grew up under Moses and carried his anointing. Elisha had double the Spirit of God of his mentor Elijah.

Jesus is alive because his natural father, Joseph, heard God and obeyed. Because His mother, Mary chose faith. And Minister Rick Renner says she was so full of faith because she was raised in the synagogue.

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:” (Matthew 2:13-14)

Jesus is the prophesied thousandth generation. His Father is the reason He was found, age 12, in the Temple in Jerusalem quizzing the scribes and the Pharisees. His Father is the reason for every word that He spoke. His Father is why He laid down His life, and His Father is why He's alive. No one could defeat dear old Dad. And now, dear old Dad is the Father of a multitude, as many as the stars in the heavens and the sand by the seashore. Abraham's vision is God's, who sent His only begotten Son to be Dad's duplicate so that His people of the covenant, the descendants of Israel, and all men and women from all other nations could come to Him and be saved. So that we can all be His children, adopted into His kingdom of light where life and love have consumed the darkness.

We are now called to imitate our Father, to sing like Him and make people turn their heads, "Why, doesn't she sound just like ...?" To speak and it's His voice they hear. To love and they know God is with us, reaching out to them.

I saw a story this morning and felt the Savior's tears. A Dad went as far as he could to gain custody of his son. The mother wanted to raise the boy without a gender. But there, in an image, was Dad's duplicate, same smile, same curly hair now safe with his father. Would that we would go to that same extent to drag people away from hell. Would that we would be like our Father who threw caution to the wind and said, These are mine, and to heck with what it costs me. It’s worth it.

IF ONLY, then what would happen, how big would the family grow, how much richer in personalities, in abilities, in talents and gifts. There’d be a million Brandon Lakes and a hundred thousand Todd Whites. There’d be Michael Todds and Robert Norrises, Rodney Howard Browns and John McArthurs. Kathie Lee Giffords and Nancy Dufresnes. There’d be apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, evangelists, for the work of the ministry, for the encouragement of the saints, to spread the glory of God in all its forms across this earth until, one day, the King of Kings, our own precious, wonderful Jesus returns with an entourage to take us home.

The more the merrier.

“So be imitators of God, as his dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1 ISV)

“Model yourselves after God, as children after their father,” (Ephesians 5:1 Remedy)

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG)

Heart Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
Scrollwork Image by wilianmelo from Pixabay


----------
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com