OUR DAD
OUR FATHER IS GONE NOW,
WE SEE HIM NO MORE,
HE'S PASSED FROM THIS LIFE,
STEPPED ON HEAVEN'S SHORE.
HIS PAIN FINALLY OVER,
EARTHS SOJOURN IS THROUGH,
NOW PRAISING HIS SAVIOR
AS HE WANTS US TO DO.
WE COULD GO ON AND ON
TELLING OF HIM NOW IN GLORY,
BUT LET ME RELATE A BIT
OF OUR DAD'S EARTHY STORY.
HE WASN'T RICH OR FAMOUS
THO' GAVE THE BEST HE HAD;
HIS LOVE, PATIENCE AND FAITH,
A HOME LIFE CALM, LOVE CLAD.
WHEN I WAS BUT A LITTLE BOY
HIS WORDS WERE TRUE AND PURE,
HE WAS SO STRONG, HANDS SO BIG,
THERE WAS NO ILL HE COULDN'T CURE.
IN TIME THE YEARS O'ER TOOK HIM,
WAS SO MUCH HE COULDN'T DO.
YET HE DETERMINED TO SMILE AND LAUGH,
UNTIL, EARTH'S LIFE WAS THROUGH.
NO MORE HUNTING, NO MORE FISHING,
NOT EVEN A STROLL OR A WALK.
JUST SIT AND READ AND PRAY FOR US,
NAP A LITTLE, AND A LITTLE TALK.
IT WAS THEN I REALLY SAW
DAD,S STRENGTH AND TRUE GRIT,
THROUGH FATHERLY LOVE AND FAITH,
WE VIEWED GOD'S HEIGHT AND WIDTH.
HE WAS NO SAINT, THIS DAD OF OURS,
EXCEPT AS GOD SAYS WE ARE ALL,
BUT AN OBEDIENT, LOVING SERVANT
FAITHFUL 'TIL DEATH, TO HIS CALL.
HE TAUGHT US TO LOVE THE FATHER,
AND JESUS CHRIST HIS SON,
AND TO LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT,
TO WORSHIP GOD, THREE IN ONE.
THIS IS THE PICTURE AND PARALLEL,
WE WERE EXPECTED TO LEARN.
THAT THE SIMILITUDE OF FATHERHOOD,
CAME FROM GOD, WE MUST DISCERN.
I TRIED TO THINK WHAT GOD LOOKS LIKE
'TWAS SO VERY HARD FOR ME.
JESUS I THOUGHT I COULD PICTURE
WALKING THE SHORES OF GALILEE.
THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN ME
I VIEW AS GOD'S GREAT POWER,
I FEEL HIM IN MY SPIRIT,
I NEED HIM EVERY HOUR.
BUT GOD, " HOW DO I VIEW YOU?"
"NOT EVEN MOSES SAW YOUR FACE."
"I'LL PASS BY, THEN YOU LOOK."
YOU HID HIM IN A SECRET PLACE.
'TWAS THEN GOD SHOWED ME HIS PERFECT PLAN
IT'S FATHERS, HIS LOVE SHINES THROUGH.
SO DAD, WHEN I LOOK TO SEE GOD'S FACE,
WHAT THE FATHER SHOWS ME, IS YOU.
"WE LOVE YOU DAD. BE WAITING FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, AND WELCOME US HOME."
by JOHN DUMKE
JANUARY 2, 1996
Copyright © 2017 John H Dumke