Today's Devotional

July 19, 2004

Subject:  Weakened To Love

1 John 3:18 - "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

Love is hard for some people to do for lots of reasons.  Chief among them is because they never gave or received it as a child.  My father grew up without the benefit of a father.  His dad passed away when he was very young, so it was probably a tough challenge for him to show fatherly love to his six children as they grew up.  As a dad, he was ever the man; showing strength and toughness in everything he did.  Seldom as kids do we remember our dad as comical, funny and humorous even though that's how he would emerge in our grown-up years.  He was always stern, strict and needed only say things once and we were inclined to respond.  

However, our dad had a very difficult time with the "softer" side of life.  He had difficulty with the concept of love.  As children, that word was not used in our house, however, we "discerned" what we knew love to be.  Our parents took care of us, clothed us, fed us and surely they disciplined us.  This is how we knew love.  My dad, being a pastor, took the above verse quite literally.

On one occasion about 10 years ago, I was walking outside of my dad's printing business and I said, "I love you dad."  He responded, "okay."  A friend walking with me said, "did you hear your son?  He said he loves you," to which my dad responded, "yeah he knows."  That was quite tough for him.   

About 4 years ago my dad was diagnosed with cancer.  This was the first time that I ever knew my dad to be sick at all.  I couldn't even remember him having a cold.  He was definitely in the weakest state that I had ever seen him and for the first time, he began to say to his six kids how much he loved them.  This was one of the most significant points in my life.  

I thought about that again this past week when my dad suffered a stroke.  As he lay in the hospital bed,  I could hear it in his voice through the phone.  His solid, manly exterior having given way to a totally dependent state, he now stands willing to not only say how much he loves, but willing to hear it also.  Sometimes God has to do it to us, but I think my dad's truly been "weakened to love."   

This devotional is dedicated to my dad with much "LOVE!!!"  I love you dad.

Carlen