Jesus Wants to Hang Out with You in Heaven - He Said So Himself

One of the many passages of Scripture that floors me when I read it is John 17:20-24. The verses are chalked full of more theological principles then I could possibly hope to address with my limited knowledge, but I would love to share how and why it speaks to me – chiefly that I can point to it as a historical moment in time that Jesus prayed for me. I find that most places throughout the Gospels, we absorb the words of Jesus through a sort of transplantation, taking what Jesus is speaking to His disciples and supplanting its applicability to ourselves – and rightly so. What I find neat in John 17, however, is the specificity with which Jesus calls out his future believers (of which I am one):

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message." (John 17:20 NLT)

Alright, Jesus, you’ve got my attention.

So what is he praying for? That’s where it gets really interesting:

“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you…” (John 17:21 NLT)

He wants us all to be one. Sounds like a nice Hallmark card, but is it feasible? How, for instance, could LSU fans and Alabama fans possibly bridge the impassable ravine of football rivalry? This is accomplished not through our own power, but through the glory of Christ working within us:

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me." (John 17:22 NLT)

So, Jesus...what do you want this to look like?

"May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (John 17:23 NLT)

Wow. Let that sink in. Jesus is calling us to experience harmonious perfection to the point that God’s infinite love will be self-evident to those that see it. Talk about a gut check.

Why does Jesus want this? Why does Jesus want us to make known to the world that he was sent so "that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life?"[1]  That’s what even more amazing about his next declaration:

"Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!” (John 17:24 NLT)

He wants this…because he wants to spend eternity sharing his glory with us in heaven.

Boom. Jesus wants to hang out with you in Heaven. It’s right there in writing. He said so himself!

- Nicolas C. Day

[1] John 3:16

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Note: we are an affiliate of Christian Book Distributors and may earn a small commission for any purchases made through the above link

Hurrication

With another tropical disturbance barreling towards the Gulf of Mexico this past weekend, we packed up and headed out… to the beach. That probably seems like a strange choice, but we had the vacation planned and to be fair, at the time of the decision all the projections for the storm were aimed at the heart of New Orleans. So Thursday night we all crammed into the minivan, handed out the kids’ amazon fires (our DVD player has been rendered useless due to the countless coins shoved into the slot), and took off towards the panhandle of sunny Florida. Destination: condo in Navarre. Friday was fun. Though the ocean was too rough to enter, we still managed to squeeze in a relaxing day of playing in the sand and swimming in the pool. Anxiety levels grew that evening, however, as the projected path of Hurricane Nate crept eastward towards Mobile Bay and Pensacola.

Saturday morning we faced an uncomfortable decision. Though it looked like we would be okay in Navarre, any drastic last minute shift in the storm could put us in a bind. Rather than take the risk of losing power with three toddlers, we decided to buy cheap insurance in the form of a hotel room a little further east in Panama City – just in case. Thus commenced a weird day of watching the kids swim in freezing pool in the rain (while dealing with a pesky virus) that ultimately culminated in the five of us crammed into one bed with my son waking up and puking on my wife in the middle of the night while wind and rain pelted the window. It was a strange vacation.

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Sunday morning we headed back to Navarre – a pit stop on the way back towards New Orleans. Nate was travelling so fast that the eye of the storm was already far to our north, though remnants of high gusts and heavy rain remained on the backside (the storm’s hiney we deliriously told Sawyer, giggling in sleep deprivation). We arrived just before noon.

The sight on the beach was breathtaking – ferocious waves pounding the pier, ocean rabidly foaming at the mouth. It was picturesque scene of the unbridled power of nature. It probably wasn’t too far off from a stormy situation that Jesus’s disciples faced crossing the Sea of Galilee:

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27 NLT)

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By Rembrandt - www.gardnermuseum.org : Home : Info : Pic, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6812612

“Anglican clergyman John Clowes commented that by asking the question ‘Why are you so afraid?’, Jesus was asking his disciples to explore in their own minds the cause and origin of fear, so they would realize that all fear has its roots in natural affection and thought, separate from spiritual affection and thought.”[1]

Fear is not of God:

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Let’s break that down a little further.

Power

As if the power a storm wields isn’t hard enough to comprehend, imagine the power required to STOP one in its tracks. Oh, and that raging ocean? God can fit it in the palm of his hand:

“Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?” (Isaiah 40:12 NLT)

Love.

No love is greater than that which is purely unconditional.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT)

Enough said.

Self discipline.

In relation to the wonderful mystery of the incarnation in which he is both fully God and fully man, Jesus faced very real temptations – and emerged the vanquishing victor.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15 NLT)

God is powerful. God is love. God is without blemish. And if we abide in Christ, God will work those qualities through us.

- Nicolas C. Day

On a side note - I cannot wait for this hurricane season to come to an end.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calming_the_storm#cite_note-8

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Note: we are an affiliate of Christian Book Distributors and may earn a small commission for any purchases made through the above link

The Fervent Dad Challenge

The Fervent Dad Challenge

A daily workout for the body, mind, heart, and spirit for Christian fathers of toddlers.

Although I have never done CrossFit, sometimes I feel that just being a father to toddlers is close enough.

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As you naturally find yourself carrying them from place to place, it becomes quite evident that toddlers have the potential to be a fantastic workout tool. Plus, each day that you feed them, they grow a little bit bigger and weigh a little bit more.

In truth, however, parenting toddlers trains us in ways that supersede our physical bodies alone. This fact (and the helpful suggestions of a tremendous brother in Christ in bible study) became my inspiration behind the development of "The Fervent Dad Challenge".

As you go through the week, not only will you hit every major muscle group, but you will get a chance to connect with your kids and promote biblical growth towards other important components of your overall health.

Note that there are two main rules that require strict adherence:

1. Don’t take this too seriously.

2. Have fun!

Though I tailored this challenge towards my own experience as a dad, there is nothing stopping moms from participating. Should you choose to accept "The Fervent Dad Challenge", I’d love to hear about the results. Please share your stories!

Caution: Do not perform any exercise in a speed or manner that puts your child at risk of injury. If you are not comfortable, STOP. I'm contemplating releasing a more detailed guide with additional physical exercises in a future ebook (because why not?).

Monday

Body: Toddler Floor Press. Lay flat on your back on the floor with knees bent so that both feet are planted on the ground. Hold toddler at arm’s length with them facing you. Lower your toddler and kiss them on the head. Squeeze abs and push back up to starting position. Repeat for max reps and sets.

Primary Muscle: Chest

Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Triceps

Mind: Geography. Show your kid(s) a new country on a map. Pull up an image on a tablet/smart phone that shows the landscape.

Heart: High fives. Give your kid(s) 10 high fives. Pretend each one is progressively making your hand hurt worse. Comment on how strong they are.

Spirit: Worship. Teach your toddler a line from your favorite worship song. Sing it together.

Tuesday

Body: Toddler Bent Over Row. With knees slightly bent, keep your back straight and bend over until it is almost parallel with the floor. Grab your toddler (perpendicular to you, facing the ground). Pull toddler to your stomach. Return the toddler towards the ground. When their feet and/or hands graze the ground loudly say “Boing!” and pull them back up again towards your stomach. Repeat for max reps and sets.

Primary Muscle: Back

Secondary Muscle(s): Biceps

Mind: Math. Layout toys in the room and count them together.

Heart: Tickles. Give your kid(s) 10 tickles. Allow them to tickle you back. Laugh hysterically.

Spirit: Prayer for the hurting. Pray with your kid(s) for someone specific that is sick or has a need.

Wednesday

Body: Toddler Squat. Either hug toddler or hold at arm’s length (more difficult – simultaneously works arms). Squat down as low as possible. Return to starting position. Keep a deadpan face and say “ribbit”. Repeat for max reps and sets.

Primary Muscle: Quadriceps

Secondary Muscle(s): Calves

Mind: Science. Show them a picture of a weird animal or an image from space (galaxies, stars, planet, etc.). Go for something interesting and tell them that God made it.

Heart: Funny faces. At the count of 3, everyone is to make the funniest face they can muster.

Spirit: Old Testament. Share an old testament story with your children.

Thursday

Body: Toddler Shoulder Press. Grip toddler under arms. Squeezing abs and keeping back straight, push toddler straight up over your head. Lower toddler and blow a raspberry on their belly. Push back up again. Repeat for max reps and sets.

Primary Muscle: Shoulders

Secondary Muscle(s): Triceps

Mind: English. Pick a word and spell it out loud together.

Heart: Funny faces. At the count of 3, everyone is to make the funniest face they can muster. Do this at least three times.

Spirit: New Testament. Share a new testament story with your children.

Friday

Body: Toddler Swing. Get into squat position with feet shoulder width apart. Grab toddler under arms. Squat up and swing toddler forwards, exploding the hips and making a sound like a rocket blast. (Optional: toss the toddler a short distance in the air and catch). Swing toddler back down to starting position.

Primary Muscle: Hamstrings

Secondary Muscle(s): Low Back, Deltoids

Mind:Art. Draw a picture together. Hang it up on the fridge for a week.

Heart: Animal Impersonations. Pick an animal and have everyone pretend to be one. Do this with at least five different animals.

Spirit: Thanking God. Let everyone pick out three things that they are thankful for. Pray and thank God together.

Saturday

Body: Toddler Wagon Pull (or Car Push). Load your toddler(s) and any additional weight desired into a wagon. With one arm, pull the wagon for a sizeable distance. Make race car noises as you do this. Switch arms and repeat. To increase difficulty, perform on grass or sand (hardest). Alternatively, if you do not have a wagon, buy one immediately – they are one of the most useful tools in the world for parents of toddlers. In the meantime, load your kid(s) into any toy vehicles they have and push them at a sprint instead.

Mind: History. Lookup a historical fact to share with your kids. Loads of options here. Do a web search for “on this day in history” if you have no ideas.

Heart: Hugs. Hug kid(s) for at least ten seconds and tell them how great they are.

Spirit: Love of Jesus. Tell your kids five things that Jesus love them more than (i.e. ice cream, toys, etc.).

Sunday

Rest and reflect on the amazing week you had with your kids! Ask them which activity was their favorite. Repeat challenge as desired!

"Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!..." Psalm 127:4-5 NLT

- Nicolas C. Day

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Relentless Pursuit: God and Moana

Okay. So the polytheistic-riddled Moana isn’t exactly the film I’d pick to model the Christian faith. For that very reason, my wife was asked her thoughts on it by several mothers in her bible study that were wrestling over whether or not to show it to their kids. She was able to share with them the Christian movie reviewing resource that we consult from Focus on the Family whenever perusing new movies for the kiddos: www.pluggedin.com (letting my Dad flag fly a little here). Maoana gets the thumbs up from pluggedin for a couple of reasons. Firstly, since it is loosely based on Polynesian mythology, the historical element can spark a terrific conversation with your children about the importance of spreading the truth of the gospel to the unreached. Secondly, it does a good job of broadcasting the positive message that “striving to do what's good and right will result in a better world,”[1] And for a third (selfish) reason, it's action packed with adventure that makes it way more enjoyable for Dad than all the girly singing in Frozen. For those reasons, Moana can make for a fantastic, family-friendly, popcorn-filled movie night.

Now that I’ve watched it about fifty times with my toddlers, I can’t help but reflect on a song that resonates with my faith. Without giving too much away, this occurs towards the end of the movie where Moana is singing a song to Te Ka (fiery, volcanic monster thing) as it scrambles screaming towards her. Lyrics as follows:

I have crossed the horizon to find you

I know your name

They have stolen the heart from inside you

But this does not define you

This is not who you are

You know who you are

Let’s break this down with biblical references.

I have crossed the horizon to find you

Immediately this brings to mind the fact that God will go anywhere and everywhere to relentlessly pursue and rescue His lost sheep.

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him...” II Chronicles 16:9 NKJV

I know your name

Did you know that God has a unique name for each of his children? It blows my mind that the creator of the universe cares for us on such a deep, personal level.

“...To everyone who is victorious...I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17 NLT

They have stolen the heart from inside you

Having sinned and fallen from the glory of God, love for the things of the world has stolen our heart away from our Creator.

“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21 NKJV

But this does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are.

In Christ, we are made new. No longer are we defined by our old, sinful past. Instead, we live each day covered by God’s grace. The Word and the Holy Spirit grant us this recognition in our lives.

“…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

Again, though the movie is grossly inaccurate theologically, it is a family friendly hit with a moment that served as an encouraging reminder that God loves me and that He would pursue me across the whole earth. Hope you enjoyed the read. Now excuse me as I go “Away, away!”*

- Nicolas C. Day

*This is a Moana joke. If you didn’t get this, then it’s time for you to watch the movie already.

[1]http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/moana-2016/

Note: we are an affiliate of Christian Book Distributors and may earn a small commission for any purchases made through the above link