Our student ministry is currently in the midst of a leadership transition. During the process I've felt really proud to see the way our adult leadership team has taken ownership of our vision to disciple students.
One of my long-standing prayers has been for Jesus to call fathers in our church to speak into the lives of our young men who don't have a real dad fighting for them. A few weeks ago Shaun told me he had some thoughts he wanted to share with our teenagers. So Sunday night he taught them. Actually, he fathered them.
He shared a story about one of his sons. We've been praying for his boy for several months. He suffers alot of pain and the doctors have been unsuccessful in diagnosing the problem. A few weeks back he had a particularly painful night. He had just been released from the hospital because the doctors didn't have anything more to do. What Shaun described to our students was the pain a father feels when his son is hurting. As his boy's pain increased throughout the night, Shaun just held him tighter and tighter.
His hatred of the pain paled only in comparison to his love for his son.
After the story Shaun quoted Romans 5.20. When sin increases so does grace.
So cool to see our students get it:) Sin is the pain in the pit of our stomachs. And God's passion to see us freed increases in propotion to the rising intensity of the sin. As the pain from sin increases in us, so does God's hatred for it. And as the pain from sin increases in us, so does God's desire to cover us with grace.
I hate that so many of our students live without the daily presence of a real father.
I love that men in our church are willing to step up and make sure they see the heart of Father God.
Paul was right. We've got alot of teachers.
How about some more fathers?
Comments