“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.” – Jonn 14:23

I remember the first time I invited Jerry’s mom to have dinner at my house.

I was just 20 years old, still living home with my Mom and younger siblings. We had a yard in back of our house in the middle of the city where we lived, with a brick patio under a shady grape vine. It was August, so I thought I might make a good impression if I invited Jerry’s mom to an afternoon supper under the leaves.

I can’t recall the menu I decided to serve, but I was young and this was my first time entertaining as an adult, so I am sure the food I served was a strange combination of the exuberant and the exotic. I do remember one recipe I thought I would try to bake. It was something called olive bread. I had never had it before, and I have never had it since. But it sounded like it would compliment the other food I was serving, so I gave it a try.

It was a beautiful August Saturday, and I was so happy to play hostess that day. As we sat there, the bread looked delicious. I sliced it and everyone began to taste it. As I chewed, I realized, with absolute horror, that the bread tasted not at all what I imagined it would taste like. It wasn’t terrible, but it was agonizingly sweet, like cake, not at all like the briny, salty olive bread I thought I would start the meal with. I went back in the house to check the recipe and discovered I had added cups of sugar instead of the small amount called for.

I always remember my future mother-in-law as being a hard person to get to know, but looking back, I can only remember what a gracious guest she was that day. She complimented me on the bread and said that she liked it. I was able to relax then and enjoy the rest of the meal and the afternoon.

My memory of her kindness has made me tear up. Maybe she really did like the bread, as she never said anything she didn’t mean. However, I think she was also touched by my very obvious trying to please her and treat her well and respectfully. And as a mom myself, I think she could see that I had tried to make the entire day wonderful because I loved her son.

When I read today’s verse, this memory came back to me in a rush.

Until I started to love Jesus, I really did not have a full relationship with God. God was far off from the life I lived, distant and hard to know. I tried to please Him with good behavior and life choices, but I would always eventually not measure up in some way to what I thought His expectations were for me.

When I was 32 years old and my life was going in the wrong direction, I started searching in a truthful, meaningful way to know God. I found His Son Jesus. It turned out He had been watching and waiting for me. He already knew my name. In fact, He had always loved me.

As I began to read the Bible and to know more of Jesus, I fell in love with Him. I was only at the beginning of a relationship with Jesus, with all wonderful truths about Him to discover yet. But my heart and my eyes were opened to know God now, to accept His truths. I wanted to follow Jesus, and to keep His word, and I believe, just as Jesus said, because I began to love His Son, the Father honored my willingness by coming as well to stay with me also, to reveal truths about Himself, to help me grow in His Love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. – John 3:16-17

As I finish writing this post, today is Father’s Day here where I live. We honor fathers who, in love, teach their children and watch over their children. The world needs fathers who are strong and courageous. God recognized that human need when he sent his Son Jesus into this world to grow up in a family with a father named Joseph.

I wish all the wonderful fathers I know a Happy Father’s Day. And I acknowledge the two men who have made a great difference in my life, my Dad and my husband. Thank you for loving me. You are greatly missed.

Prayer for today:

Dear God,

I give You all my praise, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I thank You for this beautiful world You created. I thank You especially today for the blessings in my life of my Dad and my husband. Most of all, I thank You for Your greatest Gift to the world, the Gift of Your Son, Jesus. I pray to always follow His voice, my Shepherd.

In Jesus’ precious Name I pray,

Amen.

• 

•