Dad will fix it . . .

From time to time during his childhood, Christopher would get himself into trouble, as sons do. There was always a certain look on his face,and he would say, “Dad . . . ?”

I would respond, “What’s wrong, Topher?” And I was always able to somehow fix it.

That’s what dads do, we fix things.

Sure, we are there to encourage and nurture, but moms do that so much better. Dads want to protect, provide, and “fix things.”

But I cannot “fix” this. I cannot bring him back.

I can do everything in my power to help his wife, his daughter, and his baby to come, and I will. But I cannot help Christopher at all.

Then again, he really does not need Dad’s help this time. He is now with his heavenly Father who, needless to say, is doing a much better job than his earthly one could ever do.

He is “fixed.”

I was always concerned about Christopher’s safety and security (as I am with all of my family). He is now more safe and secure than he has ever been, in the “everlasting arms.”

The fact of the matter is, I am the one that needs the help now. I am looking to God, my Heavenly Father, and effectively saying, “Dad . . . ?”

His reply? “What’s wrong, Greg?”

He cries when I do

It is actually a source of comfort to me to know that Jesus weeps. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus, and He weeps with me and every person who has ever had a loved one leave them through death.

It breaks His heart, just as it breaks ours.

Scripture also reminds us that God keeps our “tears in a bottle:”

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT)

When Christopher and I were in an antiquities store in Jerusalem this year on our Israel tour, we came across what is known as a “tear bottle.” It dates back 2,000 years and it was a beautiful blue color.

The man who ran the shop said the Romans kept their tears in these bottles. So we took a photo of it, and I told Christopher about the passage I just quoted.

Now I have my own tear bottle. Not on earth, but in heaven.

Thursday’s A New Beginning broadcast

I happened to catch part of our radio program Thursday and I have to say I was ministered to!

I was speaking on the death of Lazarus and raised the question, “If we could actually speak with people in heaven and ask them the question, ‘Would you like to come back to earth?,’ What would they say?”

To find the answer, you can listen to the program here. (The title of the program to listen to is “When God Seems Late, Part 2”)

I will be speaking in San Diego this weekend

I have been asked to speak at an outreach event this Labor Day weekend at Horizon Christian Fellowship in Rancho Santa Fe, which is in San Diego County.

I will be speaking in the morning and the evening. I will also be joined by the amazing Christian band, MercyMe.

Please remember me in prayer,and if you can, please join us. It will be webcast as well.

For more information on it, click here.