By John A. Huffman Jr.
John 15:4
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
Today is Youth Sunday.
I want to congratulate our junior high school and senior high school young people for their worship leadership throughout these entire three services. How fortunate we are to have Dave Rockness, Ivan Klassen and the wonderful team of interns who work so hard with these marvelous young men and women.
Today is Infant Baptism Sunday. What a privilege it is to hold these little ones in my arms, accompanied by your elders, and hear the vows taken by parents, congregation, pastor and God on behalf of these little ones. As we enter into this covenant of infant baptism, we know that these drops of water alone do not guarantee their salvation. Our prayer is that we may be faithful to these vows in the hope that, someday when they are old enough to know what it is all about, they will step forward, making a public profession of their own personal faith in Jesus Christ, confirming these vows taken for them in their baptism.
And today also is Father's Day. What a great day it is to celebrate these men who have participated in bringing us into this world, provided for us, helped us be the persons we are today.
A woman was walking along with her young daughter. The little girl picked up something from the ground and started to put it in her mouth, but the mother told her to throw it away because it was dirty with germs.
"Mommy, how do you know so much?" the girl asked.
"Well, it's on the mommy test," her mother replied. "You have to know all about such things or you don't get to be a mommy."
The daughter thought about it a moment, then replied, "OK, I get it. So if you flunk the test you have to be a daddy."
Being a good father isn't easy. Many have commented on this challenge. Bill Cosby once observed, "If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right."
As a father myself, I would be the first to admit that none of us dads are perfect. I love the way that Charles Swindoll has stated it:
Dad is not perfect; he would be the first to admit it. Nor is he infallible, much to his own disappointment. Nor altogether fair . . . nor always right. But there's one thing he is — always — he is your dad . . . the only one you'll ever have. Take it from me, there's only one thing he needs on Fathers Day. Plain and simple, he needs to hear you say, "Dad, I love you."
That's the best gift you can give. Nothing you can buy will bring him anywhere near the satisfaction that four-word gift will provide. "Dad, I love you."
