He heard the familiar tune. From the first note it was recognizable and the volume got turned up to the max. The artist’s greatest hits were on the only 8-track tape he owned. That tape was played constantly in the old car with speakers mounted in the back window. His buddies knew what they would be listening to when he picked them up to go to school and when they returned home.
The artist was Harry Chapin and the song played repeatedly was “Cat’s in the Cradle”. The song was about a father who was too busy with life to build a relationship with his son. In real life, the young man’s relationship with his dad was strained so he turned up this song at every opportunity as a reminder of how important the father-son relationship is.
Turn It Up: “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” – Acts 2:2-4. What a sound that must have been. Pentecost enabled and emboldened the disciples, especially Peter, to step forward as they had never done before. There were accusations that they were all drunk on wine but those were quickly dispelled. There was so much energy and enthusiasm that by the end of the day it is estimated that some 3000 people joined the Way. Peter turned up the Gospel to a level not heard before and many gained understanding of the Father-Son relationship for the first time.
The popular song became a bit too real in the life of the young man as he matured. The focus on his career with long hours and travel was certainly taking its toll on family time. It was not a violent wind but a gentle nudging that said, “Son, you are taking the blessing of your marriage and family for granted. Furthermore, I am losing a generation because of dads like you.” He heard the message loud and clear. He turned up the Gospel in his own life through focused time in prayer, scripture and study. He gained understanding of the Father-Son relationship and embraced the love of his Heavenly Father.
Prayer guide: Lord, I thank You for being my Father. You have filled voids and gaps in the relationship I had with my earthly father, voids and gaps that I had filled with a lot of worldly noise turned up to the max. By grace shown through Jesus the Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, You reconnected me in relationship with You. Help me turn that up to the max and carry the Gospel forward with boldness in family and beyond. Amen.
A faithful father turns up the Gospel in this noisy world.
