Many pastors refer to God, the Holy Spirit, as the “Hound of Heaven.” God can, and will, use any and every means necessary to get your attention when you or I choose to ignore Him. Don’t even think about running away from Him.
The reach of the Almighty knows no bounds. God’s reach has no limitations. It is deeper than the deepest mine shaft, ocean or sea into which a man, woman or child can descend to work, for recreation or hoping to escape the vicissitudes of life.
It is higher than any human can fly. Not even the animated George Jetson, Superman or Superwoman could outfly the reach of the omnipresent, omniscient, all powerful Creator God. It would be like a daughter trying to hide in the 3-bedroom doll house that her loving earthly daddy designed and constructed for her, complete with hidden secret compartments like the house at Barteljoristraat 19 in Haarlem, Holland.
I can remember a day when God figuratively reached down and tapped me on my shoulder in order to get my attention. I was driving home from work, listening to my favourite radio station, WDCX 99.5 FM in Buffalo, New York. Its signal reaches across Lake Ontario to Toronto where I reside.
A new, almost magical musical creation by Bob Carlisle streamed across the air waves. The title was “Father’s Love.”
A few moments later, I was so convicted by God regarding my messed up priorities that I started to bawl like a toddler who had been gently and lovingly corrected by a loving father for his rebellious and defiant attitude, words and behaviour then pricked in his conscience at the moment where he realized the emotional hurt and pain that his daddy felt as a direct result of his willful insubordination.
When a child has a close emotional bond with his or her mom and/or dad, parental disapproval is the most keenly felt punishment that they can ever receive. It grieves the child to the core of their being. In that instant, they actually feel that mom or dad has stopped loving them.
It is extremely important that punishment is immediately followed by words of love and positive affirmation combined with appropriate physical touch (such as hug). This is necessary to inform the child that mom loves you unconditionally. I disliked your attitude, what you said or what you did but not for an instant did I stop loving and liking you. This message must come directly from the parent who administered the discipline (which should be verbal once a child is old enough to communicate).
“Stories from the Heart” was released in 1998; 22 years ago. I think that I was crying so hard that I had to pull off the road and park for a while. I could not see through my tears to drive safely. Once I regained my composure, I resumed my journey. I drove directly to a Christian bookstore in Scarborough. I did not pass GO. There was one copy of Bob Carlisle’s new CD waiting on the shelf for me. I bought it then completed my journey home, listening to the message of each song as I drove; especially to Bob’s heartfelt message in “Father’s Love.”
As I listened intently to its message, I was brutally convicted of my skewed priorities. I had invested too much time and energy in the serial pursuit of romantic relationships with women, whereas my primary responsibility and priority should have been the investment of most of that stolen (from her) time in my relationship with my daughter, Chantalle JuLena, pouring myself into her so that she could develop into the virtuous woman that Solomon described in Proverbs 31 in the Bible.
From that moment, I made an about face. I committed to straighten up and fly right.
