Amidst the confusion that was caused by a loud and dangerous false fire alarm this morning at my apartment complex, my devotion took me to Ezekiel 2o:12. It reads: “Moreover I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.”

This passage of scripture spoke to my heart and opened my eyes to see something I had not seen heretofore.

It has been over 10 years now since my dear father was laid to rest at the age of 108 years old. I truly miss him! Of the many things that I fondly recall of my father, two stand out: Here they are:

-Born and brought up in a humble polygamous home, my father worked his way up to become a very successful business man. He owned and operated retail stores, passenger vehicles, water/power mills, and many others! Bless his heart!
-My father allowed the good Lord to use him to bring the Adventist message to our village

Now, whenever I come across those who knew my father, they tell me that I look like my father! Well,you know as I do, that, that’s debatable! What is not debatable though is that like my father, I love cashier work.

Except for the fact that like my father, the good Lord called the unworthy me into pastoral ministry, I would have easily become nothing, but a businessman; a successful one too; I think!

So that you may know and understand, my dear wife, who is a nurse by profession, has never bought the idea of her pastor husband working as a cashier, and I do appreciate her reservations and sentiments. What my wife and others have failed to understand, though, is that cashier work reminds me of my father, that I truly loved and miss so dearly!

In like manner, according to Ezekiel, our heavenly father, loved and cared for His children so much that He gave us His Sabbaths, just to remind us that He is the one who sanctifies us. Hallelujah! Yea, even more, to remind us of the creation week. Thank you Jesus!

That is why during this week, when the world is celebrating Charles Darwin, the father of evolution theory, I am glad that the weekly Sabbath continue to remind me that the world and all therein came from our heavenly father!

How about you? Is there anything that reminds you of your loved ones? How about your heavenly father?

Just wondering!

Pr Birai

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Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 07:04:40 -0800 [09:04:40 AM CST]
From: Absalom Birai
Subject: Re: It reminds me of my loving earthly father!