"Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it.""
Family Discussions:
- How do you describe the fatherhood of God?
- How does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family?
Transcription:
00:13 Everyday when I get to do these devotionals with you, I'll read a new verse and I'm like, "that is the greatest thing I've ever read in my life!". And you know what? It is the greatest thing I've read in my life because it comes from God's word. We're in Mark chapter three and Jesus says something astounding. In verse 33 of chapter three it says this, "And Jesus answered them and said, who are my mother and my brothers looking about at those who were sitting around him? He said, behold, my mother and my brothers, for whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and my sister and my mother."
00:54 You know what? I have some of the greatest conversations, you know, in events that I get to do and especially at our sports kamps. Last summer, a young man came up to me named Connor. Connor was a proclaimed agnostic. He says "I don't believe in God." And he was a brilliant young man. And I just handed him my watch. I said, "Hey Connor, how'd that watch get there?" And he said, "well, obviously somebody made it." And I said, "Connor, did you see somebody make that watch?" And he said no. And I said, "how do you know somebody made that watch?" He said, "Because obviously dude, somebody made that watch." And I said, "Connor, you're right. Because that watch has like five volumes of information. Somebody brilliant had to take all those volumes of information. They packed them into that watch." And then I pulled a little cell off the inside of my mouth.
01:41 In my old days, Microbiology has taught me that when you take a cell and you put it under microscope, there are 10 million volumes of information in that cell. And I said, "Connor, that's as much information is in the space shuttle with five computers and 2.5 million parts all packed into a cell of which you have a hundred trillion space shuttles in your body." I said, "so Connor, if you know that somebody made that somebody brilliant with five volumes of information, who made that cell?" And he said, "uh, it came from another cell.'" I said, "where'd that one come from?" He said, "it came from another cell." I said, "where'd that come from?" And he said, "from another cell." I said, "where did the original cell come from?" And he said, "God must've done that."
02:33 That night we were out into the stars. I was speaking to the kids about the majesty of God, and we were looking up at 100 billion galaxies with each over a hundred billion stars in each galaxy. I mean, God built it all. And science is literally on their knees today at God's magnificent creation. And Connor walks up to me after the presentation that night because in his heart he knew that that design had to have a designer, that that creation had to have a creator. And Connor came up to me in just cold honesty. He said, "so what's the point?" And I said, "Connor, the point is that God wants a family and God wants you to be in his family."
03:16 I have a picture here of my family in the early days, my precious wife, Debbie Jo, who I adore, and my four children years and years ago, and man, they were the happiest days of my life. Being a dad and a family is the greatest thing for me of all. But you know what? God wants a family and you know Jesus, no doubt he came to earth to let us observe the heart of God because Jesus' family consist of those who loved him enough, to accept him in his heart by faith, to love him and to live for him. And of all the people who ever lived, he chose you and gave you the grace to accept his invitation to come into your heart. So as a believer, welcome to the family. And don't ever forget that grateful kids honor and obey parents who love so generously. Only a fool can take that kind of love for granted.
04:17 Here's the question for today. How do you describe the fatherhood of God? And question two, how does it make you feel when you grasp the thought that God calls you his family? And a great thought for the day to take around with your day is this gratitude is shown by love and by obedience.