Max Lucado - Dad Time: Savoring the God-Given Moments of Fatherhood

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2014 Max Lucado

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ISBN: 1-978-0-5291-1166-1

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14 15 16 17 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

For Jenna, Andrea, and Sara.
Youll never request too much,
call too late, or be too old.
Im always your daddy.

CONTENTS

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

Psalm 103:13

M y daughters are too old for this now, but when they were youngcrib-size and diaper-ladenI would come home, shout their names, and watch them run to me with extended arms and squealing voices. For the next few moments we would speak the language of love. Wed roll on the floor, gobble bellies, and tickle tummies and laugh and play.

We delighted in each others presence. They made no requests of me, with the exception of Lets play, Daddy. And I made no demands of them, except, Dont hit Daddy with the hammer.

My kids let me love them.

Just Like Jesus

O ur kids were Gods kids first....

We tend to forget this fact, regarding our children as our children, as though we have the final say in their health and welfare. We dont. All people are Gods people, including the small people who sit at our tables. Wise are the parents who regularly give their children back to God.

Fearless

A father is the one in your life who provides and protects.
That is exactly what God has done.

He Still Moves Stones

I remember a funny thing that happened on the way to the rat race that made me slip into neutral. Just as I got my sleeves rolled up, just as the old engine was starting to purr, just as I was getting up a good head of steam, my infant daughter, Jenna, needed to be held. She had a stomachache. Mom was in the bath so it fell to Daddy to pick her up.

She was three weeks old. At first I started trying to do things with one hand and hold her with the other. Youre smiling. Youve tried that too? Just when I realized that was impossible, I also realized that it was not at all what I was wanting to do.

I sat down and held her tight little tummy against my chest. She began to relax. A big sigh escaped her lungs. Her whimpers became gurgles. She slid down my chest until her little ear was right on top of my heart. Thats when her arms went limp and she fell asleep....

Good-bye, schedule. See you later, routine. Come back tomorrow, deadlines... hello, Contentment, come on in.

There we sat, Contentment, my daughter, and I. Pen in hand, note pad on Jennas back. Shell never remember this moment and Ill never forget it.

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

We never outgrow our need for a fathers love.
We were wired to receive it.

Grace

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in ones youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

PSALM 127:35

While parenting has its problems and pitfalls, is there any greater privilege?

Max

J airus is the leader of the synagogue. That may not mean much to you and me, but in the days of Christ, the leader of the synagogue was the most important man in the community. The synagogue was the center of religion, education, leadership, and social activity. The leader of the synagogue was the senior religious leader, the highest-ranking professor, the mayor, and the bestknown citizen all rolled into one.

Jairus has it all. Job security. A guaranteed welcome at the coffee shop. A pension plan. Golf every Thursday and an annual all-expenses-paid trip to the national convention.

Who could ask for more? Yet Jairus does. He has to ask for more. In fact, he would trade the whole package of perks and privileges for just one assurancethat his daughter will live.

The Jairus we see in this story is not the clearsighted, black-frocked, nicely groomed civic leader. He is instead a blind man begging for a gift. He fell at Jesus feet, saying again and again, My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live (Mark 5:23).

He doesnt barter with Jesus. (You do me a favor, and Ill see you are taken care of for life.) He doesnt negotiate with Jesus. (The guys in Jerusalem are getting pretty testy about your antics. Tell you what, you handle this problem of mine, and Ill make a few calls....) He doesnt make excuses. (Normally, Im not this desperate, Jesus, but Ive got a small problem.)

He just pleads.

There are times in your life when everything you have to offer is nothing compared to what you are asking to receive. Jairus is at such a point. What could a man offer in exchange for his childs life? So there are no games. No haggling. No masquerades. The situation is starkly simple: Jairus is blind to the future and Jesus knows the future. So Jairus asks for help.