A Fathers Love
PC: Kayla Potts
When I opened up Facebook the other day, a video immediately caught my eye. It was about a man, Nick Magnotti, who was terminally ill. He used the video to leave a message that he hoped his daughter would watch one day. He shared how special his memories with her were, how much he loved Jesus and how much he loved her.
In addition to sharing his tear-jerking message, he related how his life had been touched by his relationship with God and longingly wished for everyone to be blessed by the experience of family and closeness to the Savior.
This reminded me of a God who gave His Word to His followers in which He displayed every aspect of his character and His divine guidance.
He knew you might open the Bible to the book of Matthew and eagerly read about who He is and learn all about His character, trying your hardest to mirror that image. He’s also the God that created the heavens and the earth and allowed a man to have command over it. He is the God that knew his promise, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3, KJV) would lift your spirits in a time of despair.
Through His word, he empowers, shows his love and counsels us.
In addition to His word, God gave us the promise of eternal life through His son. When Jesus was sent down to this Earth, He was on a mission and had a short time to accomplish it.
In recognizing that his life was coming to an end, Nick also knew that he had a mission: to live the best life he could with the time he was given. He wasn't angry at God; instead, he accepted God's will and professed praise and love for Him. He felt truly blessed to be with his family and wished that everyone could experience the relationships that he had.
I think that, in some ways, we’re like his sweet little daughter. Just as we can know God through His word, even though we can’t talk to Him face to face, she could learn about how much her dad loved her and how he lived his life through the video. Even if she couldn't find reassurance in him after a breakup, or have him walk her down the aisle, she would know just how much he ached to live those years with her.
God aches to spend each second of every day with you and constantly wants to remind you how much he loves you. Let His voice in, spend a little time learning about your Father and strive to live as He guides.
"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice..." (Psalm 95:6-7, NIV).
Kasondra Reel is a senior studying nursing.