Do Better Than I Ever Did

 

Do Better Than I Ever Did

A father’s heart

John 14:12 NKJV

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Whenever I get the opportunity to speak to my spiritual father in the gospel, his message is always the same, “I believe in you son, you’re going to do greater things than I ever did”. As clear as this message may seem, it started being clear to me after years of journeying with him. It was so hard for me to believe that I would someday do greater things than this man who has so many years of experience as a husband, father and bishop in the Lord. In the beginning of our journey I saw it as some sort of cheering technique he was using to help me achieve things. As our journey continued to grow I was able to see his sincere belief in me to do great things.

When I first met him it was during the most horrific time of my life. It was during a moment I stopped believing that spiritual paternity can be genuine and sincere. He came into the life of my family to love us when we felt the absence of love and believed in us when doubt was mostly present. This reminds me of John 20 when Jesus goes to appear to his disciples after His death and finds the doors of their house shut because of fear. Have you been there before? When fear causes you to shut life and everyone in it out. Those moments when fear prevents you from hoping again. I remember the first time I saw him preach, his sermon was titled “Eagles hope again” and during the whole sermon tears kept running down my eyes. I was sitting with my two boys and they would just watch me cry without being able to stop, broken to pieces and listening to a man speak into my life but I was not willing to open my doors. My oldest son would wipe my tears as this man kept talking and all I can say to my son was, “I’m ok”.

Most likely the disciples felt the same way, alone and abandoned. Jesus appears and greets them with peace and right after, He shows them his hand and side. He shows them the scars caused by the sin of the world because the difference between the heart of a real father and someone who is just pretending to be one is, real fathers aren’t afraid of showing their hand. A real father will reveal to you his scars because he wants to prevent you from going through the pain they went through. They desire wholeheartedly for you to do better than they ever did. Jesus showing them his hand is more than just a help to their disbelief, it is also a way of him saying, I went through this so you don’t have to. Jesus needed his disciples to believe in Him and showing them his hands would bring down those walls of doubt in their life. It takes as much belief from us sons as it does from our fathers to start a journey together. Once those doors of disbelief were tumbled down in my life, I was able to believe in him as much as he believed in me. I have watched my spiritual father develop all sorts of successful projects and wonderful accomplishments and through it all I stand watching him with joy and pride, because I believe in him and he believes in me. Jesus once told his disciples, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.

A few weeks ago my church did a little farewell celebration for us before we went on Sabbatical and I remember one of my spiritual sons came up to me and held me so strong with this deep cry coming out of him and all I can think of was, what have I done to get the trust and love my spiritual sons show me? Over a great conversation with my spiritual father last night, I was able to find the answer. Not only have I believed in them like my spiritual Dad has believed in me but I have also showed them my hands. I have showed them my hands because I want them to do better than I ever did. They have seen the love that was given to me by my spiritual father being passed down unto them. This is what our generation needs, fathers who will show us their hands and say, just do better than I ever did. 

I dedicate this blog to my spiritual father and Bishop in the Lord Emilio Alvarez and all my spiritual sons in the faith.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I commend my children to your  care. Be their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour your grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving You here, may come to rejoice in Your presence here after. 

Amen

 

 

 Rev. David Nunez +