In January of 2013 my dad passed away, but not his memory, nor the things he taught me. Two years ago on Father’s Day he spoke one of his last messages. It was unforgettable.
Because he had been sick for awhile, it was awesome that my dad was able bodied enough to come and minister to us. The insight he had to God’s Word has been life-changing for me, and for many others.
When I was about eight years old my dad was preaching on a Sunday morning. All of the sudden he stopped and said,
“The Holy Spirit is here. I feel God’s presence.”
As people began praising the Lord in response, my eyes and head were turning every which way. I was looking up and down, forward and back in the Sanctuary. So convinced by what my dad said, and how he said it, that I was certain one would be able to see God somewhere in the room.
It wasn’t uncommon for dad to stop in the middle of his sermon and say something like,
“Don’t you feel like giving God praise right now?”
Then people would begin to speak out their thanks and love for the Lord. I can recall the first time I did that. I told Jesus I loved Him and felt Him warmly embrace me with His love. It was life changing.
Dad has taught us over the years many things about God’s Word and our faith, but he has also taught us about the heart of God. It’s in the spontaneous moments of stopping everything that dad showed us the simplicity of experiencing God’s presence. It’s something we need to do more of.
Thanks dad…see you soon
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