A fathers advice to his son (part one)

   The following is a copy of a letter I wrote to one of my sons 12 years ago when he was in the middle of making a decision about staying in the Army or getting out and doing something else. He had just finished a tour in Iraq as a Infantry/Cavalry platoon leader and was returning to the U.S. (Since it is a little long I am publishing it in 3 parts.)

Dear Son,

         Well, I have been putting off writing this letter for at least a week but I need to just sit down and let it flow. I know that you are going through some trying times as you try to determine what God’s Will is for your life and what you should do about the Army, further education, and life in general. What I have learned in my 57 short years about life and its decisions may be of some interest to you and hopefully, you can glean something from this collection of thoughts.

   First: I have learned is that life is not about what I do. It is about who I am. My job primarily is to spend time in God’s Word every day and time alone with the Master to allow Him to teach me and mold me into the type of servant/steward that He wants me to be. So I’m not to worry too much about the vocation I am currently in but I am to focus on being the best that I can be at the job I have as a soldier/teacher/worker and do the best job I am capable of for my current boss. (The principal is that I do not really work for my current boss, “And whatever you do, do it heartily to the Lord and not to men.”(Colossians 3:22) My God is interested in my character and whatever He allows to come to pass in my life is for my good, even those painful and annoying events. It is great to have a job that you love, but it is more important to have the best attitude you can about where God has placed you. Henry Blackaby (author of Experiencing God), puts it this way: “Just do the last thing God told you to do.”

    Second: My heavenly Father loves me more than any other person in the world! He has my best interest at heart and always, always knows better what I need than I do. He is my “Daddy’ and even when things don’t make any sense, I know that He has allowed it to be a part of my life and it is not some random act. It has been ordained for me since the beginning of time and it is for my own good. “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, And in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:16) Also, He will not forget about me and all that I am going through. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)

    Third: My job in life is basically very simple; to love God and to be obedient to the things I know I should do. I know what to do because God has provided Scripture for me to read and it is at my fingertips always. Scripture is reliable. I can depend on it. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that a man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”(2 Timothy 3:16-17) Every time I open God’s Word He is speaking to me. I have access to the very words of God that He has allowed to be written down. “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.: (2 Peter 1:20-21) The Scripture is your guide and light. “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)  

    That means I must learn and obey what my Daddy has to say about life. He tells me things like: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there be food in My house, And trust Me now in this, Says the Lord of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out such blessing that there will not be enough room to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10) “Let your yes be yes and your no, no” (Matt 5:37) “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and the end of the earth.”(Acts 1:8b) It means I need to know the Scripture, to understand the Scripture, and to have a burning desire to be obedient to that which the Holy Spirit has taught me through His Word. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:23) “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”(John 14:15)

PRAY:

1.    Lord, I am trusting You to guide my path for every decision I need to make in life. Help me to seek your Face everyday and to listen to Your Holy Spirit as He speaks in the “still small voice.”

2.    Help me to be obedient to what You are teaching me in Your Word everyday and help me to be quick to obey also!

3.    Lord, thank you that I can depend upon You to guide my path and help me to take the best road of the many that are set before me.