Dandy Dads
Hello, Everyone. I have had a few complaints that I don’t blog often enough so…I’m going to try to fix that and not have any more disappointed readers. Anyway, right now I wanted to share with you a story of how both of my Dads conspired against me (they didn’t really, but you’ll understand in a minute).
Well, I guess I’d better start from the beginning so you all will know what I’m talking about… just about every morning, right when we wake up, my whole family comes to the table where my biological father leads us in our family devotions. Now, on the evening before this one particular morning most of us had stayed up late watching movies and were very grumpy and extra tired when we got to the table to listen to Dad lead the devotions. And some of us (meaning me) all got a little (ok a lot) grumpier when Dad happily anounced the topic of conversation for the mornings Bible study. The topic of conversation was “getting up early to spend time with God”.
Now if you read my profile page you read that I like to sleep in on Saturday mornings, well that is a particial lie. I like to sleep in every morning, but seeing as life doesn’t always permit that…I normally get up at the same time every other kid I know does.
So, now you can see why I didn’t like the idea of my Dad telling me that I should get up even earlier to spend time with my heavenly Father. I got a little defensive and with a totally rebelious heart I steely listened to the rest of the study. Dad dismissed us from the table and I went about trying to act as if nothing significant had been discussed that morning and I succeeded at forgetting the whole thing… until about three that afternoon. I tried to ignore it, I really did, but this little voice inside me spoke up and asked.
What are you willing to give up for Me, Brianna?
Give up for You? I’ll give You anything You want! Just don’t ask for my sleep in time.
Do you really love Me and care for Me?
What a silly question? I love You! It’s just hard sometimes…when I’m sleeping.
Your Dad was right. I want to talk with you all the time not just when it’s conveniant for you.
What?! Now you’re taking his side!
Don’t make excuses. I just want to know if I’m important enough for you to give up something very special and sacred to you.
I know I sounded lame and I know God doesn’t take sides, but that was how it went. Then I made the mistake of shutting out that loving and caring voice so that God had to grab my attention some other way. And He did.
About eight that very same night I decided it was time to do my own personal Bible study (I had decided that this was a conveniant time). The Bible study I was doing (and still am doing) is “A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart” (Nice title, huh?). Well, I just happened to be reading the chapter on “A Heart That Loves God” and there just happened to be a couple of “lovely” verses in there that I know God planned on me reading that very night. These verses were…
Genesis 19:27 – “Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord.”
Psalm 5:3 – “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.”
Mark 1:35 – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”
Oh boy! Now I knew I was in trouble and God really did want me to get up and spend some special time with Him. So, since that time I have really tried (and mostly succeeded) at getting up, reading my Bible, and praying early in the morning. I mean, how could I ignore it when God gave me so many signs and conformations that this is what I needed to be doing? I feel like God is preparing me for something great and He is seeing if I will “hear and obey” His voice. I hope my ear never goes deaf to either of my Dad’s voices.
I apologized to my Dad for being upset with him and he lovingly forgave me. (Which I am so glad for.) And now I can’t imagine how I am ever going to pay those two back for gaining up on me. I probably never will and now I’m glad that both of them care enough about me to set me straight whenever I stray off the beaten path.
Thank God for being your Dad and for sending an earthly Dad to take care of you. I thanked God for mine. Brianna
July 13th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
so my pastor spoke on giving God you first and best of everything and that made me think of this post so that’s two things telling me to give God my first. I think that I should give Him my first.
In Christ,
Wesley