It was heartbreaking to watch. The ice cream man, who drives too fast, was being chased by a little girl with her money in hand. Finally her little legs stopped running as she wistfully watched the truck round the corner. It was too late. But the story doesn’t end there. Her daddy came out, put her in his car and off they went pursuing the ice cream man. Yeah, for all the caring dads in this world.
For thousands of years humans have chased after life. The dream of eternity aches inside our chests. For centuries our heavenly Father watched as man struggled to understand this thing we call death. We are captive to a system of aging that imprisons both the animal and vegetable kingdoms. The oak tree grows old and finally surrenders to time as it ceases to hold up its gnarled branchy arms. Finally, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
No longer do we stand with money in hand watching the truck go round the corner. Our Heavenly Dad has come to the rescue. It is not too late. The Way is paved and clear. It was no accident that the early church called itself, “The Way.” Eternity waits for an unconscious decaying body, but rejoices to receive a vibrant human being transformed into the very image of the One who knows “The Way.” Yeah, for all the Dads in this universe.
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 1, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org