A high priority as we reach, build, and grow men is to help them experience the goodness and presence of God. We want them to taste, see and know that God is good, as Psalm 34:8 illuminates. The beauty of the gospel is Jesus has been found as He has found us and yet we still get the joy and pleasure to pursue Him. A dichotomous journey for sure. Sometimes we have those moments where it truly happens. I see lights go on and smiles that speak of an intimate moment with a blessed Savior, Lord and Treasure, we have in Jesus.
My daughter, Leah, and I recently spent a day together, and road tripped it to take in a bigger city and all it held for us. Honestly, I had a moment several hours in where she seemed tired or down, and two things needed to happen. She needed to ramp up (not a sensitive, sweet father as I thought that), or this might be a wasted day of “why did we do that?” Another honest thought I had was I didn’t give up this day for it to end poorly. I sometimes have way too high expectations.
As the day was closing and we were heading to a finish, she was well past her bed time and we had a chat about music. Why does it move us, stir us, bring us to tears, and speak to our soul? She wanted to play a song for me that she likes a lot. The song is titled, “Epiphany,” from the album, “Limitless (yes, I’m old school – album)” by The Piano Guys. It’s an instrumental song, but right away I knew it packed a punch.
Leah stopped and spoke, “Dad, when I hear this song, it makes me cry sometimes, as I see myself in a field with flowers and a white dress on, and Jesus is dancing with me. And He’s letting me stand on His toes.”
I grabbed the wheel hard as a wreck could have been next. I was stopped in my thoughts. Gear shift in my head and heart, not literally (praise the Lord). It was not a proud dad moment so much as, this is what it means to have found the God who pursues us. He wants to be found. And Leah has certainly found Him. She found the center of the heart of God.
That’s better than I might dream that tale to be. That is how God works. Where’s my song, where’s my dance, will You step on my toes, Jesus?
The irony was we had stopped at a store earlier that day and Leah had found a white dress she liked. My response, let’s wait til we see it cheaper and we’ll keep an eye on it (I like that line). After she told me that, I couldn’t pay enough for that dress. She gifted me a glimpse into her heart and the heart of God and I want more.
That’s what we want for Miami Valley men. A moment, that leads to many moments, that leads to days, that leads to seasons that leads to a well-lived life that was marked by intimacy with our Creator. A movement of men encountering a God in all His glory and living as if He’s true, redemptive and beautiful in all His ways and words. That’s an epiphany.