My little friend, Roy, made it back to Paris after a good visit in the United States. His dad called me last week and thanked me again for being kind to his young son on our flight from Europe to Atlanta. His call reminded me of the incredible power within the relationship of a father and son. Roy’s dad would roll out the red carpet for me and my entire family if we ever visited his Florida home.
Not long ago, my son, Taylor, brought a friend to my office to ask a favor. I never give away our camp staff shirts to non-workers, but Taylor’s friend was wise. “Dad, Doug wants one of our camp shirts. Don’t you have a leftover from past summers?” I reached in a drawer, pulled out a shirt, and tossed it to him. “Thanks, Dad,” Taylor said. “Thanks, Coach Davis,” Doug remarked as he walked out of my office with his gift. I’ll tell you the truth, Doug would have never received that shirt had Taylor not interceded.
“Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) Do you think the Father hears the requests of His Son? If we imperfect fathers treat kindly those who love our imperfect sons, what about the perfect Father and His perfect Son? The one who loves the Son loves the Father… and the one who loves the Son is loved by the Father. (see John 14:13-31) And if we dare approach God’s heart and learn to think the way He does, we’ll realize His Son is all around us.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matt 25: 34-40