FATHER, YOU PROMISED!

"ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope." (Psalm 119:49)

Our two boys were a delight to raise. Jeff and David are ten years apart. Helen always said that we raised two only chilldren. Helen and i are "only children," yet our backgrounds were different.

Her parents were extra loving and she learened to love and grew up with her mother's motto in her thoughts - Others. Her mother was a sweet little Southern woman who was a certified flower judge in Virginia and was active in charity work with the Richmond Home for Ladies.

Her father was a high level executive for the Old Dominion state of Virginia. He was closely involved in her rearing in many ways. He peaked her curiosity about the nature of things, gave her a beautiful black Irish setter named Mose, and saw to her education at the historical College of Willliam and Mary. Her security as a child was verrified when she wanted something and she sweetly said, "Daddy, you promised." Actually he had no intentions to forget; he always remembered.

My shildhood days were a little different. I had a good childhood, not without a lot of knocks, however. My parents were divorced. Mother was there for me as best she could, but her work as an expert Gregg Shorthand stenographer opened wide doors of opportunity, mostly a short distance out of town. But for little boys, how does this sound? Mother, you promised. Not the same is it?

The one thing i have always missed and have always wanted was a dad. I would have thought I was in heaven if I could have said, "Dad, you promised." I had a grandfather who did a good job of filling in . . . but it was not the same and I always knew it. During the hard times of the depression, I seem to remember that we did not want for anything. Grandpa made a good salary from his office job on the Santa Fe Railroad.

He was good at drawing pictures and I would ask him to draw a picture for me when he went to work. I didn't have to say Grandpa, you proimised, he always did it. I usually asked for a soldier and he would come home with a great pencil drawing of a Captain of the Horse Marines, a splendid straight-backed figure on a handsome steed.

My three parents were loving and saw that I was in Sunday school and church. But the circus in those days lightened up the atmosphere with a pre-show parade down Summit Street to the fair grounds - elephants, giraffs, tiger and lion cages, floats with pretty women, and a circus band. When Donkey Baseball and carnivals came to town, I would say, "Grandpa, you promised," and he would crack a smile and together we went.

But a father does a much better job of making everything seem just fine. He is good at bringing a boy out of gloom into the sunlight; soothing hurt feelings, or being there to coach you when somebody wants to pick a fight, and to say things like, "Hey, son, that's a good job you did in making that tie rack at school." He's there to say, "It won't hurt after a while. Just hold on, son." Or he might say, "Try a little harder, son. You can do anything you set your mind to. I'm here right beside you."

I found that our heavenly Father is like the good father, such as the one Helen had, will do everything he can for his child including chastening when needed, "for whom he loveth, he chaseneth." (Hebrews 12:6) I tried to be a good father to our boys and with Helen's sage counsel, I think I did okay without ever going to Father School.

The Bible is a good "Father Book" It has a section devoted directly to the secret of being a good father, as well as a good husband, and a good employer and employee, Ephesians 5:20-6:8. The only problem is that while the Bible has solutions too many people have an authority problem and yield to the Devil's tools against conversion: " . . . the lust of the flesh . . . the lust of the eyes . . . the pride of life . . . ." (1John 2:16) They are hard to resist; many don't want to resist.

Today, political spin doctors publish so much untrue trash, so often, that those who do not bother to read up on issues look at the outword appearances, having no spiritual discernment to see in a person what God sees. The ancient computer acronym, GIGO, (Garbage in, garbage out), is an appropriate description of conditions.

To avoid bad information that prevents our making good judgments, our minds and hearts need to be re-programmed. We need to pour in righteous data to push out the worldly sludge. Like compusters, we'll run a lot faster. Re-programming the mind; and memorizing Bible data and repeating it whenever a virus wants to set in, makes one ready to give an account of the hope that is in him to every man that asks.

The best re-programming and mental virus protection for me is Psalm 119. It is repetitious but every verse speaks of David's love for the word of God in a different way. I feel that reading a portion of it everyday is like taking vitamins. If I allow myself to absorb the repitition I find new meaning and I build up a wall against the wiles of the Devil. It is Hebrew poetry divided into sections of eight verses that begin with a letter of the Hebrew allphabet.

As I was reading Psalm 119:49-56, it came to me that here is a section from David's heart that lifts one through the fog of confusion and lets the mind receive direction, and the soul and spirit relax in comfort from the LORD. (Psalm 119:49-56)

• In Verse 49, "Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope." the Psalmist essentially said what I find myself saying, "My heavenly Father, you have promised and in you I place my trust."


• The LORD's promises are like a soothing balm to my soul. It takes me back to the time Helen and I invited Jesus into our life to be Lord and Master. (Vs. 50) "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me."


• To soul winners and defenders of the faith, scoffers can be unmerciful in their opposition and make you feel wretched. How often are we beat down like trampled saw grass? But the word of God has never failed to bolster sagging spirits. (Vs.51) "The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law." It is not about our hurt feelings. God's word is incouragement and lets me know that I have done well as a "good and faithful servant."


• It is all about remembering the promises of God that he kept by bringing judgments against wicked and evil enemies of God; and his promises to deliver me from the snares of the fowler. (Vs.52) "I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself."


• A sudden blackness of mood and the terror of feeling like I am in a black hole can overtake me by feeling that our nation is forsaking God. It's the Elijah complex. (Vs.53) "Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law."


• But even in the blackest night, the Lord takes my hand and joy comes in the morning because my Father has promised and has given me a new song. (Vs.54) "Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage." But in all the days of my pilgramage on earth, I know whom I have believed, who gives me songs in the night." (Job 35:10) And my heavenly Father is a keeper of promises.


• If I go to sleep at night with trouble on my mind, I awake in the morning beginning the day with trouble in my soul. But if my mind is focused on the Lord and his promises, it ls like praying without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5:17) as Paul commanded. (Vs.55) "I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law."


• And when I awake in the morning after a night of peaceful sleep, my afflictions seem light and bouyed by the Spirit of God who instructed me in the night. The world is still here and it may be full of conflict but I have renewed confidence for the day. (Vs. 56) "This I had, because I kept thy precepts."
  
  In your daily Bible devotions, as you come across a promise of God, claim it and say, "Father you promised, and I have your peace that passes all understanding and with it I have unspeakable joy."
  
  Robert N. Adams
  (AKA Pastor & Mrs. Bulldog)
  "Beloved, wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and bein health, even as thy soul prospereth," (3John 1:2).