I loved Sunday afternoons when I was a boy. Sunday afternoons were my alone time with my dad. We had a truck and a dog and we had favorite places in the mountains. When the weather was bad we went to the movies. I loved westerns. Randolph Scott was one of my favorite cowboys. But every once in a while my dad, for reasons I could not understand, took me to a musical. I hated them. I clearly remember going to see An American in Paris and could hardly wait for it to be over. I was nine. This afternoon about fifty-seven years later I sat down and once again watched An American in Paris. Now I understand that my dad had good taste. The music was great.
Isn’t it fascinating how we become like our parents as the years go by? I go to the mirror and see my dad. I see his hands sticking out the sleeves of my shirt. He was a teacher and I have ended up being a teacher. Now if I can just do the same thing with my heavenly Father. I realize my current resemblance isn’t even close but He can fix that on resurrection morning. It is more a matter of attitudes and desires that interest me. In Isaiah 58:8 He tells us that our thoughts are not His. Well, of course, He is God. He knows everything. He understands all the secrets of the universe. He was here before there was a here. However, we can take great joy in Peter’s promise in his second letter that we can begin, right now, participating in God’s nature. It’s just a matter of time and time is something we will have in abundance. Little by little we will become more and more like Him. How grand!
Written by Roger Bothwell on January 2, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org