Tonight's Blog, Monday, May 17, 2013

Father's Day, 2013 ended up being a much needed "Pick-me-up" this year. Being a dad has been the best part of

my life.  By the number of years or quality of time or another comparison you might make, being a husband and a dad has defined me and has made me happy. It has also tested the fiber of my being and my character as I have tried to juggle being married and being a dad with my passion to serve our LORD and His people for even longer. Anyway this father's day has been humbling and encouraging at the same time. Marge made it special by arranging my life so that I am able to enjoy my family more because of her skills as a manager and a friend. My children were great, as always, by giving me what I need. A briefcase that rolls? Only a dad with a sore shoulder and heavy older lap tops would fully understand how thoughtful, generous and kind that gift was. Phone calls and texts and trips "half-way for a picnic were "icing on the cake" this time.

Pictures on Facebook with dozens of nice comments continue to remind me that I am valuable because the people who know me best say so. Yes, humbling and amazing, and kind, and gentle, I love my family and am so blessed.

Sunday's sermon, number 2 in our "StoryTellerS" series, wasn't supposed to be a "Father's day" sermon, but it was. It was about the first call of Jesus His first disciples, to "follow Him and become fisher's of men." His call was to two sets of brothers,  James and John, sons of Zebedee and Andrew and Simon, Sons of Jonah. Mark's Gospel has an interesting fact about this moment that might slip past your notice as you read the first chapter. It involves what was left behind to follow Jesus. 

One set of Brothers, Andrew and Simon Peter, left the nets, immediately, and followed Jesus. The nets, I believe, symbolized our personal identity. I mean the part of most of us men including our jobs, or finance, or our standing in the community. You know, our "nets." This part include my dad and 37+years showing up at Ford Motor Company,  hours before daylight, to work, so that we would be taken care of by a dad and mom who could have given up but didn't. Anyway, Peter and Andrew left behind their "nets" at least for a while. To become "fishers of men."

The other set of brothers James and John, sons of a guy named Zebedee, left their dad, and immediately followed Jesus. Their dad had servants, so he might have been richer, I don't know. What I do know is that the text says that "they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants." Peter and Andrew left nets. James and John left their dad. It wasn't an accident that John Mark, our author, included that fact. Many of us believe that he suffered from "separation anxiety" and turned back to leave Barnabas and Paul in Acts so that he could be back with his close knit family. 

The story for our Father's day is even richer when the level of intensity escalates to include some choice words about the greatest "Father and Son" team. Jesus left behind as his "nets" a place of greatness and beauty and love, Heaven! He also left His Dad to be raised by a step-dad, a good one named Joseph, but still, "he wasn't exactly GOD, was HE?" Anyway, His dad, our Father in Heaven, would later turn the sun black for about half of the time His son was dying on the Cross. The WORD has a Story, He is a Son, and so our Father's Day remembrances wouldn't be complete without hearing the pride in HIS voice, as HE brags about Jesus, "And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' "

So, I finish this Blog entry, sorry if you miss the point, and yet I have to try to explain. I love being a Christian, it is the only life that makes any sense to me anymore. I Love being a dad and a husband. I love knowing that most of the time, the best that I can be and give and do is never good enough, but is always good enough for YOU LORD. And for that I thank you, LORD. big marv