Sunday, June 15, 2025
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Fathers’ Day in America
Chris and Melissa’s 21st wedding anniversary
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Just think
Wisdom speaks:
The Lord possessed me as the beginning of his ways, forerunner of later prodigies. From of old I was poured forth – before the earth, before the depths, when there were no fountains or springs of water. I was made before even the mountains were settled into place, before the first mere clod of God’s earth.
This WISDOM, this first child, firstborn of God’s procreation, carried His torch into all darkness and gave us truth, goodness and beauty. We bask in this unearned history, benefactors of joy and joining into one of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Together they made all there was to be made. But before any of that, any of us humans, they begat wisdom.
I was beside him as his craftsman and I was his delight every day, playing before him, dancing on the surface of his new earth. He made firm the skies and fixed fast the earth’s foundations, setting the sea for its limit.
What about us, you say? Aren’t we the co-creators? Who and what is this “wisdom” fellow, this “wisdom” princess? Haven’t we been given dominion over all that God has made?
Yes, but this hardly threatens the place of wisdom; in fact, without wisdom we are lost.
But do not fear.
I found delight in the human race. And now blessed are those who listen to me, watch daily at my doors, wait beside my doorway. Here I am. Choose life in choosing me.
It is good for our ego-driven, hide-bound souls to know we have a Soulmate waiting, one who loves us, one who knows who we are and how we were made out of dust and a bead of sweat from our Heavenly Father, who does not roll us into balls and play games with us.
This is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us.
Twenty-one years ago today our son Chris cast himself into marriage with Melissa. Both of them sought wisdom along the way after their high school courtship. For two years they refrained from dating and nourished many other friendships, along with growing in the ministry each of them developed at the Christian Campus House. Melissa made the dean’s list in psychology at the University of Illinois, and Chris received a degree in youth ministry at Lincoln Christian College. Both followed their hearts, and both listened for guidance from the Holy Spirit. Wisdom lived nearby and they visited often.
Today Chris is preaching the Fathers’ Day sermon at West Side in Springfield, where they are both pastors and have been for most of twenty years. It’s fitting for this to be their anniversary celebration too. Their children Jack and Aly celebrate with them; their family works hard to fit together four lives looking toward each other, while always also looking up.
We have been justified by faith, and so we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts.
 (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, Revelation 1, John 16)
(posted at davesandel.net)
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