November 25, 2006
Dear Luke:
Today, you turned 2. I won't soon forget the day you were born, for more reasons than just your arrival. Let me explain: As I was sitting with you in the "transition room," the doctor came and said something like, "We're keeping a close eye on your wife because there's been a bit more bleeding than anticipated." At that moment, as I was marveling at you in my arms, I remember thinking, "Am I going to believe everything I've preached over the past couple of years about 'trusting God in the midst of trials' and 'resting in the sovereignty of God in all circumstances,' or not. It's easy to preach those truths, but you can't really know if you believe them (& Him) or not until you have to put into practice what you profess. Well, as you know, Mommy recovered admirably, and I want you to know that God was gracious to me as I did experience a peculiar peace about your mom in those moments of uncertainty that could have only come from a kind Lord who meets with and strengthens His people during trials.
I praise God that He preserved your mother, and I praise God for you, Luke. Sometimes, I walk into your room late at night when you are already in bed and sound asleep (often in a really funny position!), and I wonder things like--Will he see Christ in me? Will he hear about Christ from me clearly? Will he ever love Christ? Will he love Christ's church? Will he get married? Is he seeing in me how a man is to love his wife? Will he love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her? Is he learning from me about biblical manhood?--and then I fight back the tears (okay, sometimes I don't), and then I kneel down at your bed and pray to the Lord of heaven and earth with gratefulness for your presence in my life and with unusually strong pleadings for your conversion to Christ and that you would live a life that truly counts. Already, at age two, those are some of my favorite memories with you. I'm already looking forward to the next two years!
Happy Birthday, buddy, and I'll leave you with one of your favorite songs that expresses my heart tonight as I write this letter to you:
God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me.
Man to Man: I love you!
Daddy
