Many of you remember Dad’s “Charlie” jokes… Chip asked me how I was going to handle “Charlie” --- there, I just did!
My Dad had a few favorite sayings…. When I drive, I find myself repeating some of them! If Dad got behind a slow driver, he’d say… “I’m gonna suck you up my exhaust” – I always wondered how that would work … since the exhaust pipe is in the rear of the car and the people driving below the speed limit were in front of him!
Regarding things that would irritate him…. such as the white fuzzy seeds on the trees in June, that would clog the pool filter… Dad would say,
(the trees, not the pool!) Both his dad and mom’s dad worked in the coal mines in PA, and in those days, they’d just have some dynamite laying around…. I’m sure he wishes he brought some to NY!
Like the Huggies Diapers… Dad’s presents were fun! – Him and mom, and the rest of our family, Tom’s family included -- “pitched” in, and got me 40 – 40lb bags of cow manure, for my 40th birthday. I think I only asked for 1 or 2!
And he taught us well! -- For Father’s Day, one year, …my sisters and I showed up - the day before, to “hang out” with dad. We were also waiting for his present to arrive! A big red dump truck pulled up, backing into his driveway, and the guy got out, and asked my dad, “Where do you want it?” Dad didn’t know that we had gotten him 8 yards of DIRT for Father’s Day. [I hate to say, I don’t think any of us stuck around to help him move it all to the backyard!] I think mom was in on that one, too! She also loves to garden! They shared many, many hours of gardening – just one example of the knitting together of their hearts in like passions. They have planted a glimpse of heaven in their backyard!
John and Judy ~ The Second Greatest Love Story Ever!
They HAVE a love that is endless: a love that abides forever –
They HAVE a love that knows no bounds: Life cannot measure it. Death cannot extinguish it.
They HAVE a love that is “perfect” – in the Biblical use of the word – meaning “complete.” They “complete” each other. They were made for each other. The Lord God called their hearts to each other, and to Him.
In Genesis 2, God established His DESIGN for the relationship between a man and a woman:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." ~ Genesis 2:24
In Ephesians 5, Paul lays down the principles of marriage to be followed – following the example of Jesus Christ. (This is what I call the “marriage dance” – in this sense, boy did mom and dad know how to dance well!!)
"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God ~
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body…
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word…
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord loves the church…" ~ Ephesians 5:21-33
Today, I stand before you as a witness – to testify of the love between my dad and my mom – And the obedience of my Dad to the Word of God: “to love as Christ loves.” This is his legacy!
MY DAD FULFILLED GOD’S CALL TO LOVE
Pastor and Bible Commentator, John MacArthur, expounds on this, in his “Divine Directive for Husbands” - when I read this, I think of my Dad.
He writes ~
“The Lord's pattern of love for His church is the husband's pattern of love for his wife, and it is characterized by – A Sacrificial Love --- in caring, in protecting, and in providing for her. Christ loved the church by giving "Himself up for her." The husband who loves his wife as Christ loves His church will give up everything he has for his wife, including his life if necessary.”
He continues… “ … it is much more difficult to make lesser, but actual sacrifices for your wife…. Husbands, when you put aside your own likes, desires, opinions, preferences, and welfare to please your wife and meet her needs, then you are truly dying to self to live for your wife. And that is what Christ's love demands.”
This is how my Dad lived and loved. We have witnessed his “Christ-like love” – demonstrated over and over again, in the love he had for mom, and for each of us girls. He is the most loving, unselfish, generous man we've ever known. He knows what it means to lay down his life for his wife and his daughters – He loves as Christ loves.
Paul writes in Philippians ~
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition… but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who… made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant… " ~ Philippians 2:3-7
And Jesus tells His disciplies in Matthew ~
"Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." ~ Matthew 20:26-28
This describes my Dad – He was a “servant chief.” Mom tells us, he let her be “boss” every other day!
Dad had a ‘servant’s heart’ -- One WEED you’d never find in the “garden of Dad’s life” - was
SELF-AMBITION. He had no “Ambition” to be a “Somebody”… rather, he esteemed us as his "somebodies" -- and he always "worked to make things happen" for us – whatever we needed – help, support, wisdom, counsel, muscle -- it wasn’t ever about money – though he would have gladly given that, too -- if needed…. It was about HIS PRESENCE. And in that he was Christ-like! He did ‘his part’ and was content in that -- to be the best husband and father ever, and to love self-sacrificially as Christ loves His Bride – that is, His Church.
Jesus said ~
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." ~ John 15:12-13
This is where the seed of a beautiful life is planted, and grows, by the power of God and the provision of God. It is only the power of God that can enable us to love one another in this way. When you see God’s “agape” love – that is, His unconditional love, shining out of the life of His child, then, you have seen a visible representation of God -- for God is love.
And today, I stand as a witness before you, that I have seen God --- flowing out of the life of my dad.
A Love That Is Better Than Life!
The Psalmist wrote:
“Because Your love (O, LORD!) is better than life, my lips will glorify You” ~ Psalm 63:3
Dad’s love for us, like our Heavenly Father’s love, was better than life! And here’s the KEY: He was able to love the way he did, with the love of Christ, because he loved God!
Jesus declares His Father’s command for life:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ Matthew 22:37-39
As I read the following, many of you will recall the times when my dad loved you ~ What does the love of Christ look like?
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
God invites each of us into a love relationship with His Son. This is our High Calling…
THE CALLING OF OUR HEARTS ~ To know Him, to love Him, and to love one another.
Responding To This Call – Produces An Abundant Life!!
Jesus said --
“The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have LIFE, and that they might have it more abundantly.” ~ John 10:10
An Abundant life is a A fruitful life –
"The fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." ~ Galatians 6:2
Dad was a “fruity guy” – what can I say!!! – the only time he lost control – was when he was on the floor laughing!
This is the kind of life that Jesus fills us with, when we trust in Him! And this enables us to view “LIFE” through God’s eternal perspective. Then, how we react to the circumstances LIFE throws at us …will change, because of His presence –
1 Corinthians 13:12 - tells us that:
"Now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face..."
I know God has a purpose in allowing this tragic event – though we may not see it clearly, yet. His Word tells us that He works all things for good – FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM! I may be tempted to say, “this is so "STUPID" -- as dad would say…
But WAIT! … He isn't saying that -- because "now he sees "face to face" -- and we only see through a glass darkly! I might say "stupid" -- but Dad now knows the reason why God allowed this to touch our lives! I imagine he's up there, cheering us on - to keep running this race -
"till God makes everything beautiful -- in His time!"
The Greatest Love Story Ever…
From God’s perspective – being that He’s “outside of time”…. Life doesn’t end – The question is… where will you spend it?
We have just celebrated Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, whom He gave to us, because He so loved us – and for us who have placed our faith in Him, we will have eternal life: living with Him, in His presence. This is the reason for the season – the reason God sent His Son. (John 3:16)
This is what mom told us – as we gathered around my Dad, early Tuesday morning, December 23, right after he had moved to heaven. It’s all about Jesus ~ He was born to die -- so that we can live forever!
"This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." ~ 1 John 5:11-12
This is “ The Calling of Your Hearts” – to An Eternal Life!!
Pursue God with all of your heart! And you will discover the life my Dad lives ~
A BEAUTIFUL LIFE... - AN ABUNDANT LIFE... - AN ETERNAL LIFE...
AND … A LOVE THAT IS BETTER THAN LIFE!
All Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
We are called to be the Bride of Christ - And Dad is getting dressed for the Wedding!
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His Bride has made herself ready... Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…" ~ Revelation 19:7-9
"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." ~ Revelation 21:5
Have You Responded To This Calling?