Dr. J. Allan Peterson once shared the following story:
I read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing.
At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father's full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.
The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son.
When that boy grew to be a man, he said, "All my life I've known what God is like by what my father did that night."
May we always remember what our Heavenly Father did for us in giving his Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us! He took what was on our plate, sin and all its consequences, and exchanged it for what was on His plate, grace and all its consequences!
NOTE: Dr. J. Allan Petersen first began traveling in the mid 1940s as an evangelist, speaking in churches throughout the U.S. and Canada. Out of his concern for people and his vision for the church came a focus on strengthening marriage, family life, and relationships.
In 1975, he conceived and directed the Continental Congress on the Family, bringing together some 2,500 leaders to address marriage and family issues and also to help form national strategies to support and encourage marriages and families, as well as to help prepare future leaders in this area of ministry.
This in turn led to his publishing of a family information and enrichment bulletin which he called Happiness is Home Made. Later, its name was changed to Better Families.
At the time of his retirement, Dr. Peterson had traveled extensively, having spoken to over 9,000 audiences in over 50 countries. Along the way, he managed to speak to religious leaders at the White House and help found the Family Research Council.
In 1995, the International Family Congress awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to preserving the Christian family. Dr. Petersen went home to be with the Lord in October of 2000.
SOURCES: https://bible.org/illustration/father-god
and http://betterrelationships.com/about/history.html.
DR. PETERSON’S BOOKS INCLUDE:
The Myth of Greener Grass: Affair Proof Your Marriage
For Men Only: The Dynamics of Being a Man and Succeeding at It
For Women Only: The Fine Art of Being a Woman (with Evelyn R. Petersen)
The Art of Being a Man
Your Reactions Are Showing
Before You Marry
First Aid for Faltering Families
The Marriage Affair: The Family Counselor
Conquering Family Stress
For Families Only: Answering the Tough Questions Parents Ask
Hi Fidelity Marriage
Cf.: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/27605.J_Allan_Petersen.
I read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing.
At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father's full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.
The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son.
When that boy grew to be a man, he said, "All my life I've known what God is like by what my father did that night."
May we always remember what our Heavenly Father did for us in giving his Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us! He took what was on our plate, sin and all its consequences, and exchanged it for what was on His plate, grace and all its consequences!
NOTE: Dr. J. Allan Petersen first began traveling in the mid 1940s as an evangelist, speaking in churches throughout the U.S. and Canada. Out of his concern for people and his vision for the church came a focus on strengthening marriage, family life, and relationships.
In 1975, he conceived and directed the Continental Congress on the Family, bringing together some 2,500 leaders to address marriage and family issues and also to help form national strategies to support and encourage marriages and families, as well as to help prepare future leaders in this area of ministry.
This in turn led to his publishing of a family information and enrichment bulletin which he called Happiness is Home Made. Later, its name was changed to Better Families.
At the time of his retirement, Dr. Peterson had traveled extensively, having spoken to over 9,000 audiences in over 50 countries. Along the way, he managed to speak to religious leaders at the White House and help found the Family Research Council.
In 1995, the International Family Congress awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to preserving the Christian family. Dr. Petersen went home to be with the Lord in October of 2000.
SOURCES: https://bible.org/illustration/father-god
and http://betterrelationships.com/about/history.html.
DR. PETERSON’S BOOKS INCLUDE:
The Myth of Greener Grass: Affair Proof Your Marriage
For Men Only: The Dynamics of Being a Man and Succeeding at It
For Women Only: The Fine Art of Being a Woman (with Evelyn R. Petersen)
The Art of Being a Man
Your Reactions Are Showing
Before You Marry
First Aid for Faltering Families
The Marriage Affair: The Family Counselor
Conquering Family Stress
For Families Only: Answering the Tough Questions Parents Ask
Hi Fidelity Marriage
Cf.: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/27605.J_Allan_Petersen.