Archives: 2006

As a father, this speaks to my heart right now:

“Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest…” (3 John 5).

You see, I read verse four first (no particular shock there, of course) and thought again along the lines of “Yes, I want to hear that my children walk in truth. Hear it from them. Hear it from others. See it for myself.”

But what about their Dad?

So verse five struck me.

My own living must be entirely marked by faithfulness — to God, to His Word, to His ways, to His plan, to His will.

That is more important than hearing anything about anyone else.

I look around me at God’s people and see ruins.

I look at me and see ruins.

Of course, not everything is ruins — I see more than ruins. But right now I’m thinking of the ruins.

Ruined lives. No longer whole. Marred by sin. Scarred by sin and self. Some more than others but everyone ruined.

Individuals. Families. Churches. Ruined.

“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old” (Amos 9:11).

That’s what I need!

I want the Lord to raise up my ruins, building me, closing up my breaches.

Question is, do I want that enough to yield myself fully to Him and His plans and His ways?

Always a catch, huh?