My Three Dads

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. -John 15:9

My dad is Rick Shurtz or “Kingfish!” My other, soon to be dad is Randy Johnston or “Pop!” And there’s my Heavenly Father or “Big Guns!” When my dad and Randy met, they hit it off! Talking about the Cardinals, watching the game, talking about life, laughing, and shaking their heads at me for doing something or saying something dumb!

Growing up I never wanted “that look” from my dad. The look of,” I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.” Nor do I want that look from the other two! We have all felt that and hopefully none of us ever got that look! How often have we wondered what God thinks about the things we do? When we get to Heaven will we get that look we have long feared? Or will we stand tall and say, “I have fought the good fight and I have finished the race!”

The thing is none of us can really do that ourselves nor do we deserve to have God’s love or forgiveness, but he gives it to us willingly and freely! My dad could have written me off after times I disappointed him! My soon to be father-in-law could have not given me his blessing. God could have never given me those thousands of second chances! But my Dad has never wrote me off, Pop believes in me, and God has never quit on me!

So, with Father’s Day quickly approaching let the dads you have in your life know that you are blessed to be their son, their son-in-law, and their child!  Happy Father’s Day Kingfish, Pop, and Big Guns!

Love and Honor

A few weeks back I was giving my 7-year-old nephew a ride home after church. We were stopped in traffic next to a cemetery where a large family group was gathered decorating graves. My nephew asked what all the people were doing in the graveyard. I explained they were putting flowers out to show love and honor for their family.

He thought about that for a minute. Then he said, “Well, that’s weird. They are already dead.” He paused a moment, then added, “They should have done that before they were dead!” Ahh, the wisdom of a child! It doesn’t cost a thing to honor others with our words, to show love with our actions.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. -Romans 12:10, NIV

Take it from a 7-year-old, there is no better time than right now to tell someone you love them or to show some respect for a job well and faithfully done. In closing, I want you all to know it’s an honor to share my thoughts with you. Thank you for that privilege. Go show some love today! Honor God and make Him smile!

Forgiven Much, Love Much

I want you to remember the words of Jesus from Luke 7:47 (ESV),

But he who is forgiven little, loves little.

We can't know what it means to truly love God until we first understand what it means to fear Him. It is a proper awareness of our own sin that allows us to begin to grasp the depths of God's grace. As long we think we've been forgiven little, we will love little. Do we really understand what has been done for us?

Jesus didn't just do us a solid. He paid the ultimate price to save hell deserving sinners from impending wrath. He laid down His life to love us and reconcile us to God. We didn't deserve grace. Jesus didn't deserve wrath. God made an exchange though. Jesus took on our suffering so we could receive His salvation. Jesus didn't just come to give us some morals. He came to give us life. Make the choice today to love God like you're a dead man brought back to life, a prisoner who has been set free, and a prodigal receiving the warm embrace of a father. Your sin wasn't little, and neither was His grace.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8, ESV

Kicking Blind

Dave Kaiser took the field in the final seconds of the 1956 Rose Bowl. He was a kicker for the Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans were tied 14-14 with the UCLA Bruins. Kaiser was one of three Michigan State kickers. Earlier in the year Kaiser suffered a leg injury having only attempted 2 kicks that season which both went wide left. Kaiser had healed up by the Rose Bowl but expected to ride the bench. However, the other kicker Planutis, had missed two field goals that game and Kaiser got the call. He took the field in the final seconds of the game to attempt a 41-yard field goal.

As Kaiser was getting in position and warming up his leg, on what was only his 3rd career attempt, the center snapped the ball a few seconds too early. Surprised, Kaiser quickly jumped back, lined up, and gave it the boot. As the pigskin soared through the air, Kaiser didn't watch. He turned and looked at the referee waiting to see his signal. It was good and the Spartans won the Rose Bowl. I forgot to mention something. He kicked the field goal blind. He turned to the referee not because he was nervous. The truth was he couldn't see the goal posts clearly. Kaiser, not expecting to play, had left his contact lenses in locker room and in turn had to kick blind.

  As Christians, we don’t know when our number will be called or when opportunity will present itself, but we must be prepared. Sometimes the circumstances will be unexpected. There’s an early snap. We forgot our contact lenses. We had very few previous opportunities or successes. We are kicking in the biggest game of our life. But remember, there is work that must be done in the practice field of our soul. The Holy Scriptures, God's character, and the leading of Holy Spirit must become such a part of us so that we too, can instinctively, make the kick blind. Without hesitation, doing what needs to be done because our souls have been saturated with God while we waited. What are you doing in the meantime? Will you be ready when God says take the field?

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 1:13, ESV