A Father’s Day Spiritual Exam 

                Another  year goes by.  Another Birthday and like many,  our son and daughters  take a traditional march to that spot in the hall.  It’s time to mark a new height on the wall.  It’s time to marvel at the change that occurred physically over the course of a  year.  We are wrapped up in the physical attributes of our children.  As new parents we find  comfort, even pride in knowing, “our child is in the 95^th percentile in height and weight for his/her age”!

My 12 year old, in the birthday photo below, correlates height and physical maturity with respect,  closing in on man-hood and being someone who counts.  This is much the way I felt about getting taller and “filling out “ when I was his age.  Maybe you remember a special measuring spot in the home you grew up in, or perhaps standing next to a respected member of the family to see how you were “measuring up”.  When you stop to think about it, it’s silly. Searching for validation… the feeling that “I am becoming someone”, because I am changing physically. 

John 5:32 “There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid”

It’s fun to measure the kids, but this year I began to really think about their spiritual growth. It made me wonder about our Heavenly Father  and I became concerned about God’s measuring stick and how I would measure up if I left earth today. Would I be excited to be evaluated on that scale? Our potential for physical growth is fairly predictable, and just by looking at a child’s parents one can derive a good guess of size, shape etc. But what about our Spiritual growth potential?

                                                                                                (Dad measuring TJ on his 12^th birthday)

               
     Are we “filling out” in our walk with Christ?  Have we been fed and challenged adequately by the Word,  or are we malnourished, even starving? We are all in varying levels of relationships with Jesus, but we all share an immeasurable amount of potential for growing that relationship.

     Read the Word     -    Pray      -     Share Your Faith     -    Serve   -     Love Others

I hope this Father’s Day we take the time to measure our own “walk”.  Accept where we’re at, and whether we are “ mighty oaks” or “late bloomers”  or some thing in between ,   GROW! 

Thank you Father for your promises and grace through your Son's sacrifice - Amen

Peter  1:18 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life”…. “but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”                                                Happy Father’s Day