Letter to Ian 1

7/24/2011: Letter written to Ian before he headed to IMPACT weekend at TAMU

Ian,

It is exciting to watch you grow up and it is hard to believe that you are entering your last year of high school!!! When I think about you, I am awed by the potential God has given you. I could tell story after story illustrating your abilities and potential, but I think last year provides several examples of exceptional accomplishment. You fought through difficult teaching styles, complicated subject matter and a packed schedule and learned that you can do it – you can teach yourself hard stuff; you can find assistance when you need it; you have the fortitude to complete difficult tasks; and you had your best grades ever amide your hardest year ever. Music has always been important to you, but this past year you took it to a new level – the variety, complexity, and melody really blossomed. Now, if you could just learn to write lyrics! You have learned you are not perfect, but need help with both moral and physical challenges – it is a good thing to learn this now! You also have grown to be a man - yes a hairy, smelly, muscular and very attractive young man. Your care and concern for your friends and family has always been high, but your heart was seen so clearly in El Salvador, as you council to your friends and interaction with your family. As Paul said to the church of the Philippians, “I thank God every time I remember you.”

It is exciting that you have this opportunity – a time of retreat, to move from the world and its distractions and focus a significant amount of time and attention to God and His purpose for you. During your senior year, you will experience great time acceleration – many competing interests will arise, many obligations will surface, many new activities will call out to you – all very good things, but, not the best thing. It will be difficult to not get caught up in our own plans, own will and own priorities. Prayer can become just a medium to express a “wish list;” Bible reading can be merely a check box, and God’s presence can become a distant memory if you allow the gravity of life to have its way. But there is a better way.

Jesus saw this struggle for the right priorities lived out in his friends Mary and Martha during one visit to Bethany. “As they [Jesus and his disciples] continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand." The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her." (Luke 10:38-42 the Message).

There are always lots to do; there are always people who need service; there will be things we want to do – but the essential thing, the one needful thing, is to sit at Jesus’ feet and just be with Him. This is not easy. If the distractions were not enough, we are not easily disciplined to just be still, wait in His presence and know that He is God - to know that He will be exalted among the nations and the earth (Psalms 46:10). Take this time and savor our blessed Savior. See His glory and may His joy, peace and grace develop in you the desire to discipline yourself to seek Him all the days of your life. He is our reward, our portion, our great God.

Paul, as he sat in prison voiced the keen desire that he would give his utmost, for Christ’s highest glory. “I eagerly expect and hope that … now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.” I pray that this weekend, you may get a clearer picture of our blessed Savior: the manner that His atonement meets all of our needs; how His Spirit fills and empowers us here on earth; the opportunity to do good works that He planned since before creation for us to do and the blessed hope of His return to establish His kingdom upon the earth. This is a vision so large, so captivating that it can consume your life and change this world both in time and in eternity.

I pray for you my son to see your Father more clearly, to see His Son lovingly and experience their Spirit daily. I am praying for you this weekend and in all weekends.

Love,

Dad

________________________________________________________________________________

As I reflect on this letter, God indeed answered my prayer. Ian was a student of God's Word, sitting at the feet of His Savior. Ian joined and led worship, exalting His Savior. Ian was full of good works, blessing family, friends, and strangers with knowledge of His Savior. Ian learned that to live IS Christ and to die is gain. The hardest lesson a parent can let their child learn...Thank you Lord for answering my prayer for Ian - not as I desired, but as you did. Yet I am still here..."If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me...For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Love you Ian, always!

Dad