Seasons: Winter — Friday
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son... (NIV)
Several years ago while living in Tennessee, I was driving back home to Kentucky for a wedding. As I approached the Tennessee-Kentucky border, I heard what can only be described as a loud popping noise, followed by what sounded like a parachute deploying out of my car. I pulled over onto the narrow shoulder and, sure enough, my front tire looked like a black, empty garbage bag—it was completely destroyed.
I don’t know if you’ve ever driven on one of those factory spares before, but they’re not designed to get you very far—pretty much just from point A to point B. But it was almost dark now, and with every tire center now closed, my only option was to get in the far-right lane and drive on it for the next two hundred miles.
What was originally going to be a four-hour drive was now probably going to be more like five or six, so I called my parents to let them know not to wait up.
A couple hours down the road, my cell phone rang—it was my dad.
“Hey, son! Have you made it to Glendale yet? I’m up here at the McDonald’s exit—why don’t you pull off and we’ll grab some food? You’re probably starving!”
This only frustrated me more. My over-protective father had driven two hours in the wrong direction just to make sure I was okay. After we ate, I begged him to go on ahead of me. But as we pulled onto the interstate, I noticed he wouldn’t speed up and pass. He just stayed behind me with his flashers on, following me all the way home.
“You didn’t have to do that, Dad.” I shook my head as we pulled into the driveway. “I would’ve been fine. You just wasted four hours!” He smiled.
“Making sure you get home safe is a really good investment for me, son.”
Our verse today reminds me that God had a big investment in making sure we made it home. But, why?
I’m probably not the best person to answer this question, but what I can tell you is, well—He’s a Dad. And judging by what I saw in my rearview mirror that day, the most important thing in the world to a dad is making sure his children make it back to him.
Because Jesus died for us, we’ll never have to worry if we’ll make it home to our Heavenly Father.
And neither will our Dad.
Friday’s Reflection
Take some time today to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice, and on our Heavenly Father’s love for us.
