It is early in the morning... on your day of High School Graduation... I have my coffee... sitting here thinking of all the words I would like to tell my son Kyle on this very special day. Too many words... not enough words...maybe nothing at all needs to be said because you know how much I love and care for you - where nothing at all needs to be spoken because the bond we share between Father and Son is understood without words. But... on this day of graduation... it is customary to speak something... So with all the following... as your Dad rambles on with words of encouragement... I know you will take these words to heart... I know Big Sam, your grandfather,would be very proud of you Kyle and this day of your graduation as I am... he loved you so much Kyle! Big Sam was the greatest Dad.... even though he might not have spent this amount of time to tell me the same when I graduated High School... As a father, I knew he loved and cared for me just the same as I do for you Kyle. And I am thankful, to this day, that Big Sam, MY - Dad, left a remarkable and lasting impression on my life. And I want to do the very same for you Kyle. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of you... as I am for each of my children... yet, you being the first born,... there will always be this special place in my heart for you Kyle. I know God has His favor on your life Kyle Morgan.... and it is amazing to SEE how our God has blessed you Kyle. No doubt... for every parent... there is always this fear of seeing your children go down the wrong path...not certain what we need to do to bring them back.... yet... I know God is in control.... and I have always trusted, to the best of my ability, in the way I have encouraged you, to ultimately allow God to direct your steps. I may not have been the best father at times... in being there for you when you needed me the most with your every step,... I ask that you please forgive me during those times when I may not have been there to nudge you along the way... but, I would like to say... especially in the past year... in the times we have shared together... I feel we have become so close in our relationship... and you will never realize how much joy this has brought your father. I have come to understand... as I have watched you grow up... I may not be there all the time... and I find myself... having to tell myself... it is ok... it is ok to let Kyle spread his wings!!... for him to take flight on his own!!... I have instructed him as a father,... prepared him for life the best I know how,... and Kyle is now a young adult... man enough to set his own course. NOW I get to see him take flight on his own and FLY HIGH!!! “WOW... Watch him soar God!” Now I get to enjoy watching how he takes to the sky! That expansive sky of endless opportunity! There are no limits Kyle... fly in every direction!!... discover the whole world before you!... flap those wings Kyle Judson Morgan! I know you will go far in life! …..And, in the future,when you ever feel the need... from time to time, you can always ask your Dad to come back again, along side of you,... so WE can fly the sky together! I may not be able to keep up with you... but that is ok... I will be fine... don't ever feel like you have left your parents behind... always remember.... even when I am on the ground.... I can still look up... and see you flying high! There he is!... That's my son!!... Kyle Judson Morgan!!!... there he is!! I love you Kyle!! “That's the way to fly!!!” I am so proud of you!!!!
Ok... let me take another sip of coffee... wipe away a few genuine tears of thankfulness from my eyes... another sip of coffee... Yummy!
I spent this week trying to think of a few passages of scripture to share with you... oh my goodness... so many verses came to mind... yet I was at a loss in which verses to share. Yet... God is so Good! As I have spent time reading through the book of Job... a fascinating book... but it is such a long read... I came upon this section of scripture.... and I felt it fitting... in the moment... to pass it on to you. A little backdrop to the story line... I know you may be familiar with the story... in the midst of Job's troubles... he had 4 friends that spent time with Job around a camp fire... trying to figure out 'this thing called life' and all the things that has happened to Job. These friends tried their best to encourage Job to the best of their ability. Of course they all failed miserably! Such is human nature... trying to speak the right things to Job... and all their words seemed to fall short. I guess the best part about the story, that means a lot to me, is the fact that his friends DID take the time to try and communicate their concern.... a book of 42 chapters.... so go figure! A lot of talking went on! I am not sure if the discussion lasted all in one night or several days... but THEY were THERE for Job in person... and that counted for something. It amazes me … that today... in our culture.... with all the variety of electronic communication at our fingertips... no one knows how to take the necessary time to just sit down, in person, and talk together ...endlessly... in hopes to figure things out. Maybe that's all people had time to do back then. No TV... No Cell Phones... No Internet.... No Video Games... Nothing... Just face to face contact with people... something all of us need to get back to doing. But that is not the point I wanted to make.... In the story... one of Job's friends was a guy named Elihu... he was the youngest... probably about your age Kyle... a young adult.... he respectfully waited his turn.... because the other friends were older and seemingly more mature... NOW... After 31 chapters!... Elihu felt it was HIS turn! I am not going to break down each verse for you... but there are two significant factors of this section of scripture... First... Elihu was compelled to speak!!!.... as a young adult... he could not hold back any longer!!!... It was his turn to take flight! And boy... did he have a lot to say! - 6 long chapters worth!! Secondly... and ironically... right after Elihu spoke... It was God's turn!!! It always amazes me how often, in scripture, God's presence and power comes forth right after a child, a teenager, a young adult (like yourself) begins to speak! As Elihu concludes his conversation... Elihu mentions, at the end, in Chapter 37:5,... Elihu says: “God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding...” And then, immediately right after his last sentence................. BAM! God hits the scene!! God speaks to everyone out of the Whirlwind!... I am sure Job, Elihu and the other friends were all blown away....well not literally! I mean... maybe they all could have been!!... But right there!! Right when the storm hit and God began to speak... I am sure Elihu was thinking... ummmm..... didn't I just say God would do this?!!!!!
Kyle I took the time to print the verses below... I bold the verses I thought would be a source of inspiration to you. Remember Kyle... YOU are no different than Elihu!! It is YOUR time and turn to Speak!!!! Be ready.... because once you DO.... You will be the young man that will usher in the presence of God in your midst!!! I can't wait to SEE what God will do in your future!!! BE READY!!! I love you Son!
Job 32
Elihu
1 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But Elihu ..., became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 So Elihu... said:
"I am young in years,
and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, 'Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.'
8 But it is the spirit in a man,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
9 It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.
10 "Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
12 I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Do not say, 'We have found wisdom;
let God refute him, not man.'
14 But Job has not marshaled his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your arguments.
15 "They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.
18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.
21 I will show partiality to no one,
nor will I flatter any man;...
Job 33
1 "But now, Job, listen to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.
2 I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words come from an upright heart;
my lips sincerely speak what I know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life. ...
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears...
I have found a ransom for him'-
25 then his flesh is renewed like a child's;
it is restored as in the days of his youth.
26 He prays to God and finds favor with him,
he sees God's face and shouts for joy;
he is restored by God to his righteous state...
29 "God does all these things to a man—
twice, even three times-
30 to turn back his soul from the pit,
that the light of life may shine on him...
Job 34
1 Then Elihu said:
2 "Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;
let us learn together what is good.
21 "His eyes are on the ways of men;
he sees their every step.
Job 35
1 Then Elihu said: …
Job 36
1 Elihu continued: ...
Job 37
1 "At this my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding...
Job 38
The LORD Speaks
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.….
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