You Bear a Striking Resemblance of Your Father

People often say my daughter resembles me and my granddaughter resembles her, and I resemble my mother. It’s undeniable – we were all cast from the same mold. My son is undeniably, His dad’s son. They RESEMBLE each other.

My word for today is, obviously, RESEMBLE: to have qualities or features, especially those of appearance, in common with (someone or something); look or seem like.

While I love that compliment “You look just like your mother” or “Your daughter and granddaughter certainly look like you” – most importantly I want for them and me to RESEMBLE our Heavenly Father – and to RESEMBLE Him is to resemble His nature and His ways. Ever heard someone say, “The more we live together, the more we finish each other’s sentences and we’re even starting to look alike?” That’s what I pray for in my relationship with God. And the more time I spend with Him, the more I know His plans and purposes for me, and the more I (like to think), that I start to RESEMBLE Him. His nature is LOVE. This is the month of love and what better time to become LOVERS of God and RESEMBLE Him in His love for others.

This life we live is truly all about love. Of course it is, because God IS LOVE and the most important lesson He wants us to learn on earth is how to love. To say “I love you” can sound like a cliché if our actions (or our RESEMBLANCE of God) don’t measure up to those words. We say “I love you” in the same sentence that we say “I love chocolate cake” and there are times when it seems the one saying those words, loves chocolate cake more than us.

Learning to love unselfishly is certainly not an easy task. It runs counter to our self-centered nature. That’s why we’re given a lifetime to learn it. God continues to demonstrate His love to us each and every day. And that’s why He is our role model and why those who spend time with Him will start to RESEMBLE Him and His ways. Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”

God wants His family to RESEMBLE Him and to be known for love more than anything else. Jesus said our love for each other – not our doctrinal beliefs – is our greatest witness to the world. He said, “Your strong love for each other will PROVE TO THE WORLD that you are my disciples.” John 13:35. He proved to the world His love – and now as we love and serve, we take on His character and RESEMBLE Him.

It’s admirable that we could RESEMBLE our Father within our four walls and in our own families, but love isn’t learned from hiding out with our four, and no more. We must be around people, even those cranky, grumpy and even frustrating people around us, because God's LIGHT of LOVE in us is what the world needs NOW. In Acts 10:38 we see how Jesus RESEMBLED His Father everywhere He went: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good.”

Resembling our Father is to LOVE. It matters most. It takes top priority. So, let’s be LOVE show-offs and RESEMBLE our Dad today!

The Apple Didn't Fall Far From the Tree

I amused myself yesterday when I saw these three apples in a bowl at the Wuerch's home. I remembered that phrase we use when we see a parent and children look-alike and we declare, "The apple didn't fall from the tree!" That implies that it's obvious who the parents are and who those children belong to. They may have so many resemblances -- in looks, personalities and even, abilities. That's what I thought about when I saw this super-sized apple, the medium one and the little one!

I understand that the apple is considered the king of fruit. I know it’s hard to believe, but inside those apples are trees filled with apples. Just think about it…one small seed has the power to produce a beautiful tree that provides incredible amounts of delicious and healthy fruit.

Years ago my mother and father in law had a huge apple orchard on the 10 acres they owned in Oklahoma. Oh, how we loved those apples and the apple pies, apple salads, apple tarts and apple jams Mom made with them. But in time the apple orchard became diseased and before long.....no more apples. That's what happened when Dad became very ill and the many years of attention and TLC that he once gave that orchard, just wasn't possible any more.

But, like those tiny seeds in those apples that could ultimately produce an apple tree, Dad had "mustard seed" faith for his return to good health. He suffered from Mesathemolia and Lymphona cancer and his doctor said, "Barring a miracle, you won't live beyond six months." But, Dad, a theologian and Bible scholar AND knew God's Word, and that it was full of miracle stories, so much so, that he remembered King Hezekiah's plea for his health to return after having been told that he was going to die. But, Hezekiah prayed to the Lord in 2 Kings 20:3 "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And, he immediatly received a reply from God that said, "I have heard your prayer. I will heal you and will add fifteen years to your life." That story gave Dad everything he needed to plead his case also. He had been a faithful, devoted servant of God for way over 50 years, so, he, too, asked for 15 more years, like King Hezekiah received. And, THAT is the story of Dad. He asked and he received 15 more years, almost to the day he asked.

Then there's my precious Mama who sacrificed so much for me to make ends meet and live a life of audacious faith, joy, peace and hope. She had every reason to complain, but just didn't. Indeed, I pray that "my apple didn't fall far from her tree either"!

And, that's what I'm staking my life upon, too. Though Dad wasn't my biological father, he was as dear to me as though he were. Since my Dad passed away when I was just 15 years old, I needed an Apple Tree to resemble. I wanted that kind of faith. I wanted to look like that and act like that. I want to resemble my sweet Mama's Apple Tree, too. That's the kind of faith my sweetheart and I had for his healing. Though he didn't get many more years like Dad did, we still did what we knew to do by believing, not doubting, by trusting, not complaining and by standing strong on God's Word. God said it and that was good enough for us. The fact of the matter is this, we all have the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords as our perfect APPLE TREE. Don't you want folks to say "You look and act just like your DAD? Your apple didn't fall far from the APPLE TREE at all!!