Find Us Faithful! (There's A Song In There)

I sang a solo at church yesterday. That's not at all unusual, I do it quite frequently. But before I sang, we watched a video tribute to dads. It was Father's Day, after all. I had not seen the video before, and from where I was sitting on stage, I could not see it well. But what I saw triggered thoughts of my own dad from years ago, and it almost rendered me useless.

There were no words spoken during the video. It was only a music bed underneath a video progression showing a youngster growing up. There were lots of memories captured in that video, and it culminated with the dad in a bed at home in his later years.

My dad went home to be with Jesus almost 24 years ago. Memories of my childhood came rushing back as I watched the video at church. Memories of playing ball in the yard, fishing at our favorite pond, going to a Braves game together. My dad shared his passion for Christ with me. I remember it was 40 years ago this month, he baptized me. He instilled in me the desire to live for Christ.

All those memories came flooding to my mind as the video played. Then I remembered the song I was about to sing. May all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that I leave, lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh, may all who come behind us, find us faithful!

Yesterday was also a bittersweet day for my family. It was the first and last time for a while that both my daughters were in church with my wife and me. My oldest daughter moves into her new apartment today. She's starting a new chapter of her life. Questions, like yesterday's memories are flooding my mind. Did I prepare her for all she's going to face? If she has questions, will she think enough of me to ask my opinion? Will the memories of her childhood be as precious as mine are? Have I been the kind of dad to her as I should have been?

Time marches on. Families change as we grow older. I'm not an expert on daddy-ism. But in the almost 22 years experience that I've had at being a dad, I've learned that all we can do is our best. All we can do is love the Lord with all our hearts and live that love in front of our kids. Will we fail along the way? Sure, we're human. But through all the years, through the failures, may we look at our lives and be able to say as the songwriter, may all who come behind us find us faithful!