My grandad died a few weeks ago, it was a sudden unexpected tragedy. I have struggled with this.
He died so thirsty.
Isaiah 55
Invitation to the thirsty
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
To my knowledge, he never knew the satisfaction, peace, and freedom of knowing his maker…..the one who thought of him and created him from the beginning of time. He likely never knew perfect love. He never knew peace. He was haunted and tormented his whole life by the very thing he desired the most and craved to satisfy his thirst. He was a brilliant, talented, champion footballer and athlete. When his football career came to an end he struggled to find his identity and worth in anything else.
The last time i was in Australia we visited with him for a couple of hours. It was a sweet time. As i hugged and kissed him goodbye (which now i know was for the last time) i told him that i loved him. My heart filled with compassion and love for him. As i stood before him my words seemed to fall on deaf ears, and my “i love you” was not reciprocated. I thought to myself “what pain happened to your heart that caused it to not be able to receive love and express it in return?” We all have unhealed areas of our hearts. His father was a child soldier in WWI and was taken as a prisoner of war and then released when the war was over. Everyone has a story and context for their life. Who knows the trauma he endured, and the wounds that he buried. Perhaps my great grandfather struggled to love my granddad the way he needed to be loved growing up. Even the most wonderful parents will be imperfect. I am an imperfect parent. The thing is everyone is imperfect. Everyone experiences traumatic events, unmet needs, hurts, and injustices (to varying degrees) which harden our hearts to freely give and receive love extravagantly. But in Christ we can take responsibility for our own hearts and overcome the things that harden our hearts and keep them imprisoned to receive love, give love, forgive, have confidence and self value and value for others.
Romans 3:23-24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
My grandfather loved with the capacity that he had. We all love with the capacity we have. I have sweet memories of times he was there for huge milestones. When i got my first car, numerous sporting events, christmas and boxing day mornings and a high school graduation gift he gave me which i treasure to this day.
I wish he knew the perfect love of his Heavenly Father. Every single one of us is created to worship. We will worship something, the only question is what that will be. We were made to worship a Father who loves us perfectly. This is true worship and allows for our hearts to rest, heal, overcome, forgive, and grow into the fullness that God has purposed for us. Unfortunately we settle, and instead of worshipping God we choose to worship things that will always in the end let us down…. careers, kids, relationships, physical appearance, sports, control, intelligence, money….the list is endless. We find our identity in and worship things that will never satisfy us because they were never meant to be worshipped in the first place. Many of these are good things but when elevated to a place in our hearts of worship they will destroy us. Our hearts were created to worship a God that will never let us down. I knew 24 years of living without a deep knowing and intimacy with Jesus and i know the unsatisfying thirst this type of life brings. No one will ever be able to convince me that living apart from Him is in any way full or satisfying. It is like chasing the wind. I have tasted and seen the sweetest of loves and i will never go back.
John 10: 1-15 (The Passion Translation)
The parable of the Kind Shepherd
‘Listen to this eternal truth: The person who sneaks over the wall to enter into the sheep pen, rather than coming through the gate, reveals himself as a thief coming to steal. But the true shepherd walks right up to the gate, and because the gatekeeper knows who he is, he opens the gate to let him in. And the sheep recognize the voice of the True Shepherd, for he calls his own by name and leads them out, for they belong to him. And when he has bought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them and they will follow him, for they are familiar with his voice. But they will run away from strangers and never follow them because they know it’s the voice of a stranger.” Jesus told them this parable even though they didn't understand a word of what it meant.
So Jesus went over it again. “I speak you eternal truth: I am the Gate for the flock. All those who broke in before me are thieves who came to steal, but the sheep never listened to them. I am the gateway. To enter through me is to experience life, freedom and satisfaction. A thief has only one thing in mind - he wants to steal kill and destroy. But my desire is to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect- life in its fullness until you overflow! “I am the Good Shepherd who has come to give life as a sacrifice for the sheep. But the worker who serves only for wages is not a real shepherd. Because he has no heart for the sheep he will run away and abandon them when he sees the wolf coming. And then the wolf mauls the sheep, drags them off, and scatters them.
“I alone am the good shepherd, and i know those whose hearts are mine, for they recognize me and know me, just as my Father knows my heart and i know my Fathers heart. I am ready to give my life for the sheep.”
Whether you believe it or not it doesn't make it any less true, we have a God who sees it all through the eyes of love. His son is the only way to overcoming life’s blows, unforgiveness, and wounds. We are not victims, blown about by circumstances or people. He is the only way.
Matthew 5:3-10
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
My Grandad. You are loved.
My Grandad. You are loved.
Some good songs...
