Posted on June 19, 2022 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
Restore My Soul: A Restoried Father
By Chris Woodward
My path towards fatherhood was unique. I can remember when I was eight years old, my Dad would take each of us kids out on the top of the observation tower at sunrise on our summer vacations. One of these days, he turned and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I told him a father. This moment is vivid for me as it was a tender moment for me and my father. All I wanted was to be able to give this gift to another one that I would call son or daughter. I find that our journey through not being able to have our own biological children changed me in profound ways. I could not understand how a loving Father would not want me to be the same and this was a source of tension and irritation in my personal relationship with my heavenly Father for many years. The adoption of our son put most of those feelings to rest, however, there are days when that doubt still creeps in.
I hope I never forget the feeling, it is as clear today as it was five years ago, walking into the Neonatal ICU to meet our son for the first time. He was here, he had been born and he was going to be our child. As we walked through the doors, my wife and I could see him this tiny, just over four pounds, hooked to monitors, IV’s and many blinking lights. He was perfect, although born a month early, exposed and dependent on substances, an unplanned part of someone’s life. This little boy has been, since that day, an answer to our most fervent prayers. God had prepared everything for us including a place to stay and a car to get from the house to the hospital. In our month long NICU stay, He gave us so many wonderful nurses, doctors, and social/case workers to come along side us and encourage us on this journey. I don’t know if I have ever felt my heavenly Father’s hand in my life more than during this time.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Today we talked at length about the compassion of God on us…each one of us. Can the compassion of God restore and re-story the view you have of your own father today? Let’s broaden that question…can the compassion of God restore and re-story the view you have of yourself today? Or the view you have of someone you are in a hard spot with?
{bible reading plan}
For the next few months we will be exploring the Psalms. For an overview of the Psalms, watch this 9 minute video from our friends at The Bible Project. To learn more about how to read the Psalms, check out this video resource.
Psalm 139 really is a love letter to God the father. Imagine, if you would, the imagery of a relationship that was so transparent to know the innermost part, the deepest thought, the thing that we hide from all others. This truly is a good father because, knowing this about the writer, God the father still choses love, sacrifice, and provision for his children. How does reading this Psalm change how you feel about today?
In Psalm 140, a prayer for rescue, we see David the writer is plainly in conflict. A conflict where he uses terms like proud, violent, wicked, slander–to describe the aggressors. For David to have such thoughts and feelings gives me a bit of peace, and a call to follow him and trust God with my day and my protection. What do you need God’s protection from today?
Keep your eye on the ball. I can remember hearing that about a million times, during games, practice, and sometimes in my sleep. In sports, as in life, eye discipline–seeing the ball and where it is going–is a valuable skill. David knows where his eyes go his body, mind, and soul will follow. Verse 8, in NIV, reads “But my eyes are fixed upon you, Sovereign Lord in you I take refuge.” Today take a quick assessment as you go of where your eyes are fixed. In the midst of all that David has going on, his eyes are disciplined.
David requests release, for the reason of praise, he then expects fellowship due to God’ goodness. Psalm 142:7 in the NIV, “Set me free from my prison so that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.” Who will you tell the story of God’s goodness to today?
As a dad I try to find the teachable moments. Sometimes they are buried under sarcasm, screams, and direct defiance. In your mind’s eye see David…in the Psalms he is looking for these teachable moments. Vs 10, “teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good spirit lead me on level ground.” Now read again the rest of the verse, David is scraping for level ground, and it is found in his own words by being teachable. Ask yourself today “what teachable moments can I find in the fog of my daily life?” How can you find level ground in your relationships today?
As a kid rocks meant a lot to me. They were everywhere, in the yard on the street, in my shoes sometimes. My dad would say that rocks are tools. They can help us build things. They can tear things down. They can even hurt others, so we should take care with them. David calls God his rock. At first read this seems to be a foundational statement then, I remember David once picked five smooth stones from a river bed as a boy. It would seem that God our father is both our defense/refuge and our offense/protector. How do you relate to these thoughts?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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