Fathers

Even Superheroes had fathers.  Today is Father's Day, and I wanted to write about one of my favorite Superheroes who was blessed to have two fathers: Superman.  I haven't been able to see the latest Superman movie Man of Steel, but I understand it is a good version of the timeless story.

Clark Kent grew up in the small farming community of Smallville.  He was a child of conflict and fear when things happened to him that he could not explain.  Clark relied on his father, Jonathan, for guidance and support for his struggles, as well as for his strong moral foundation.  It was Jonathan who revealed Clark's origin, and showed him his spaceship.  Clark was devastated to learn he was not of this world, but of a world he had not ever heard of before.  

He spent years trying to find his own identity.  I write about this in a different post about Superman called Secret Identity.  It wasn't until he found a way to learn about his birth father and home world that he found his calling.  Jor-El was man who loved his son, Kal-El, so much that he would send him down to this world to be safe from the tyranny and demise of Krypton.  Jor-El also dreamed of the day that his son would lead the people of earth to a better place.

I often think about my earthly father, the one who raised me, and taught me right from wrong.  He is the man I loved as I grew up, and he is one with whom I share my love of all things geek.

It wasn't until I was grown and in college that I learned about my heavenly father.  I learned about a God who loved me so much that he would give His own son to this world to die, so that I would not have to.   Guess what? My heavenly father can be your heavenly father too.  All the details can be found in the Bible - specifically in the book of Romans.  Will you choose to find Him?

"For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16 NLT

Refuge

Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT)

I took a break from superheroes today.  Instead I worked on a geeky project of adding text to a photo that was taken during a pivotal canoe trip with my husband.  It was pivotal trip, because it was during that trip we determined to reconcile our marriage and not divorce.  This photo became symbolic of a place God showed me His shelter and His refuge.

What does it mean to take refuge in the Lord?  Is this a physical place like that beautiful lake picture taken last summer?  Psalm 91 is all about that refuge.  The Lord assures us that if we remain in Him, we will be safe, and that evils will not touch us.  How can it be that we still have bad things happen to us?

It's simple.  While God does protect his people, the promises of refuge and complete safety are still to come.  He gave us (people) free choices and we are living in a world made up of those choices.  Our sanctuary still awaits us.  The best is yet to come.

I cannot wait to see what God has prepared for us in heaven.