“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 The Message Bible)
This is your Monday Short Meditation. It is deliberately short, but I will not deny you little story or deprive you of the purpose for which the Lord put todays you are about to read on my heart.
As an adolescent and teenager, my stardom in baseball never exceeded out of the boundaries of my immediate neighborhood, including the elementary school I attended. However, as a father, I did not let my lack of notable accomplishments in “America’s Game” keep me from teaching one of my sons the game of baseball. When he was a toddler, I would take him out to the front yard and pitch balls for him to hit. My thinking was that he, the son, if he started learning how to bat and catch at a very young age, he would exceed my achievements in that sport. It was worth the time. He played high school baseball, made the traveling all-stars for his region, and even gave up playing on a championship basketball team to focus on one sport, baseball.
Let me talk about another father, another son. He was named an “All-State” athlete in track, played starting, wide receiver on a state championship football team, and was a four-year letterman, running track at the collegiate level. Yes, he played football too at the post-secondary level, but eventually, he decided to focus on track. His 4×100 relay team set a state record during his time at the school. Enough about him in years past. Now, as an adult, he is raising two sons, one a toddler and another and infant. He still runs to stay in shape. But on top of that, he teaches his oldest son about running.
The father and son relationship, or the father-figure and son relationship should be a dynamic that produces a son who exceeds the accomplishments of his father. Here is the most important point: The first sentence in this paragraph, should be applied to how fathers and father-figures, which includes some single moms and grandmothers, run the Christian race. Sons, and daughters too, must be taught by instruction and intentional modeling or indisputable demonstration, how to run. The fact is, as a consequence, they should run “the race” better that their fathers. However, this won’t happen if the father or father-figure stops running.
What I just wrote should be passed on to every father and father-figure on your contact list. You pass on every other type of communication, so please pass on this vital communique. Let’s make a difference and possibly make some disciples too. Thank you! Be blessed!
“Our parents trained us for a little while. They did what they thought was best. But God trains us for our good. He does this so we may share in his holiness. No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does this for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 4:10-11 NIRV)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King