Pastoral Page

It's a fascinating story that comes out of the 1989 earthquake which almost flattened Armenia. This deadly tremor killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. In the midst of all the confusion of the earthquake, a father rushed to his son's school. When he arrived there he discovered the building was flat as a pancake.

Standing there looking at what was left of the school, the father remembered a promise he made to his son, "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!" Tears began to fill his eyes. It looked like a hopeless situation, but he could not take his mind off his promise.

Remembering that his son's classroom was in the back right corner of the building, the father rushed there and started digging through the rubble. As he was digging other grieving parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying: "My son! "My Daughter!" They tried to pull him off of what was left of the school: "It's too late!" "They're dead!" "You can't help!" "Go home!" Even a police officer and a fire fighter told him he should go home. To everyone who tried to stop him he said, "Are you going to help me now?"

They did not answer him and he continued digging for his son stone by stone. This man dug for eight hours and then twelve and then twenty-four and then thirty-six.

Finally in the thirty-eight hour, as he pulled back a boulder, he heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" and a voice answered him, "Dad?" It's me Dad!" Then the boy added these priceless words, "I told the other kids not to worry. I told ‘em that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised that, Dad. ‘No matter what,' you said, ‘I'll always be there for you!' And here you are Dad. You keep your promise!"

This is the kind of character that the work of the Lord needs. In contrast to the low–esteemed fathers of the popular media, such as the one in "Married with Children," the church of God needs Godly men (and women) who dare to shoulder responsibilities, make sacrifices, and are willing to stand up and be counted for Jesus' sake.

No matter whether you have children of your own, you can always be a father (or mother) figure to someone in the Faith. This is a sacred responsibility, may God give us grace to step up to the plate.

Happy Father's Day!

With Love in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Ling