In both of the houses where we lived, my dad had an office in a spare room under the carport. Yesterday I was able to go through my dad's office, located in our second home where I lived from ninth grade until I got married. My dad's office was his place of quiet, alone time with God. This was his idea of a real "Man Cave": No TV, no party foods or drinks, nobody else (unless he was conducting business); just Mahlon and His precious Lord. This was his sacred place.
I don't remember a day when my dad didn't get up early in the morning, around 6 AM, go to the mailbox to get the paper, come into the kitchen, read the paper, and eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes. After his breakfast, he would go out to his sacred place and spend time alone with God, read his Bible, study, and read a chapter in the Psalms, a chapter in Proverbs, and pray every day. I honestly cannot remember a day that my dad missed unless he was very sick.
Spending time alone with Jesus was at the top of the priority list every single day; Saturdays and Sundays included. If we were out of town or at the lake, he still found time to spend with the Savior.
His favorite Psalm was Psalm 23. We had it printed in his Celebration Service program, 7 years ago. In the above picture, a bible was laying on top of that file cabinet. When I went over to examine it further, it was open to Psalm 23! What an amazing God we love and serve. Another priceless gift from my Savior as I was remembering my dad.
I don't know how God does it, but I guess that's why He is so exciting and full of mystery. I wasn't even thinking about my dad's "going home" anniversary when I scheduled this day with our renters to come over and go through my dad's office to finish cleaning out. But once again, God gave me some precious time to spend in my dad's special place. I took pictures of books, Bibles, his spray painted boots (that's another story), and had so many good memories flood through my mind.
I ran my hands across his Bible commentaries, file drawers, cassette tapes, pictures on the walls, and of course, his chair- the one that could roll to anywhere in this tiny space, and yes, it's been repaired with duct tape! What would a "Man Cave" be without duct tape?
Although this place lacked much in the way of decor, it was none the less the place where real spiritual transformation took place. It's what went on in here that impressed me most about my dad. It was what took place in here that made my dad the godly man he was. This is where he met with God! He prayed here. He studied here. He listened to God's voice right here- in this sacred place. This is where he prayed for me every day, as well as, my sister, my mom, our families, friends, our church, our nation, and our world, and everything else in between. He was committed to his relationship and to spending time with the most important Person in the world to him. His relationship with Jesus is what affected all of the other relationships in his life. He was a man of prayer and a man after God's own heart- just like David in the Bible.
Where is your sacred place; your place where you meet with God every day? Mine is here at the kitchen table most every day. I'm not as disciplined as my dad was, but I do know what a difference it makes in my life, my relationships, my attitude, when I'm paying attention to my relationship with Jesus Christ.
I still have so many books to go through and decide which to keep, throw away, or give away. I have papers to sift through, pictures, etc. But through it all, I praise God that my dad had a heart for Him; that he loved us so much that he was compelled to pray for us every morning. I also praise Him that he gave me another day to spend in my dad's sacred place, especially on a day of remembering.
My Pleasure,
Melanie
I don't remember a day when my dad didn't get up early in the morning, around 6 AM, go to the mailbox to get the paper, come into the kitchen, read the paper, and eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes. After his breakfast, he would go out to his sacred place and spend time alone with God, read his Bible, study, and read a chapter in the Psalms, a chapter in Proverbs, and pray every day. I honestly cannot remember a day that my dad missed unless he was very sick.
Spending time alone with Jesus was at the top of the priority list every single day; Saturdays and Sundays included. If we were out of town or at the lake, he still found time to spend with the Savior.
His favorite Psalm was Psalm 23. We had it printed in his Celebration Service program, 7 years ago. In the above picture, a bible was laying on top of that file cabinet. When I went over to examine it further, it was open to Psalm 23! What an amazing God we love and serve. Another priceless gift from my Savior as I was remembering my dad.
I don't know how God does it, but I guess that's why He is so exciting and full of mystery. I wasn't even thinking about my dad's "going home" anniversary when I scheduled this day with our renters to come over and go through my dad's office to finish cleaning out. But once again, God gave me some precious time to spend in my dad's special place. I took pictures of books, Bibles, his spray painted boots (that's another story), and had so many good memories flood through my mind.
I ran my hands across his Bible commentaries, file drawers, cassette tapes, pictures on the walls, and of course, his chair- the one that could roll to anywhere in this tiny space, and yes, it's been repaired with duct tape! What would a "Man Cave" be without duct tape?
Although this place lacked much in the way of decor, it was none the less the place where real spiritual transformation took place. It's what went on in here that impressed me most about my dad. It was what took place in here that made my dad the godly man he was. This is where he met with God! He prayed here. He studied here. He listened to God's voice right here- in this sacred place. This is where he prayed for me every day, as well as, my sister, my mom, our families, friends, our church, our nation, and our world, and everything else in between. He was committed to his relationship and to spending time with the most important Person in the world to him. His relationship with Jesus is what affected all of the other relationships in his life. He was a man of prayer and a man after God's own heart- just like David in the Bible.
Where is your sacred place; your place where you meet with God every day? Mine is here at the kitchen table most every day. I'm not as disciplined as my dad was, but I do know what a difference it makes in my life, my relationships, my attitude, when I'm paying attention to my relationship with Jesus Christ.
My Pleasure,
Melanie
Comments
Post a Comment