A Father Who Cares

the student : I want to go home now!
the teacher : Well, when you finish your work then you can go...
the student : I want to die.
the teacher : Life is precious, you should be careful what you say.
the student : Nobody cares about me.
the teacher : Of course people care about you, like your mom, that's why you are here.
the student : Nobody likes me. I don't have any friends. My family doesn't like me either.
the teacher : I am your friend and your teacher. I am sure you have friends.
And I am sure your family loves you. Why don't you help your mom at home then?
Or make a coffee for your dad?
the student : I don't have a dad. He doesn't care about me.


Who cares?... Something that you and I can utter so easily, as if the breaths we exhale.
In moments of distress or idleness, these words that you and I may breathe are like poison to our hearts and minds. Our minds would be clouded with ill thoughts and ours heart may feel hard and heavy, cold as stone. Yet it is so easy to for the tongue to say such idle words: "Who cares".

Our Father in heaven cares, though we may not see. "The Father's eyes are concentrated on our hearts, and His hands hold it firmly but gently. He waits patiently for the impurities to be burnt away. He knows the heart is ready when He sees Himself in it long at last". And every pen mark or ink spot He makes is perfect, beautiful in its time. Every word that He speaks to us, tells us we are special, we are His chosen people-".. the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth" (Deutronomy 7:6). Every word that He wrote in our lives is "for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day" (Deutronomy 6:24). If we by any means forget our Father's words and do otherwise; if we would not be obedient to the voice of our Father, then how will we ever see Him face to face?

Our stories may seem so dull at the moment when someone, or everyone doesn't seem to care about us. We skim through life's pages, overlooking the fine details that people have cared to imprint in our lives. Impatient, we want to take hold of the pen and write our own story, but the voice tells us to wait because He cares for us, and He has always cared for us. Obey, and in this season of waiting, something more beautiful will unfold before our eyes when He reveals it to us.

If we care about our the reflection in the mirror when we walk into the bathroom in the mornings; if we care about what we wear; if we care about the what goes on our bread for breakfast; if we care about what others think about us; then shouldn't we all the more, care for others? By caring for others, waiting in this period of time will seem more meaningful and purposeful. By praying for others, they may also hope in returning home, to our Father. For nothing is better for us than to rejoice, and to do good in our lives, and also that every one of us should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all our labor-it is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

This was what He had written today...

FEBRUARY 8
---
MERCY AND GRACE

I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor,
and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because
I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
And the the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant.

1 TIMOTHY 1:13-14

"Peanut butter and jelly. Forks and spoons.
Mercy and grace. Some things just go together-
and, thankfully, mercy and grace are such a pair
in the kingdom of God.To obtain mercy means
'to receive exemption from the punishment that
one deserves." And every one of us deserves
punishment for our sins.. God doesn't rank sin.
Sin is sin, and all who sin-and that's everyone-
deserves the punishment of separation from God
forever.

...Whereas mercy is undeserved punishment withheld,
grace is undeserved favor bestowed. Our loving God
hasn't given us what we sinners rightly deserve.
Instead He has freely offered salvation through Jesus,
who took our sin upon Himself.

...Cups and saucers. Salt and pepper. And, yes, mercy
and grace. Some things go together perfectly.

Thank You, Lord!"