Technology vs. Paper
Technological advances are impressive and surprising to me. From time to time, I stop to see the new cell phones, new computers and new tablets. But that’s it, no more than just admiration and amazement. I am one of those living beings who still insists on reading the printed book or taking notes in a notebook. Even though I have my electronic tablet (in fact, I have two), I have not found yet the “beauty” of taking notes in one of those electronic tablets. I think that even when there are many means to store your files, including the so-called “clouds,” I am afraid that something unexpected is going to happen and my notes will be lost forever.
Written memories
As I have always enjoyed literature, recently I have been considering leaving my written memories for my daughters, my grandchildren, and the children of my grandchildren. I think it’s a good idea and in a way my legacy to them. But at the same time, I think that the best legacy is the one that it is marked in the hearts of future generations. Solomon, in his greatest wisdom, says the following: “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart” (Proverbs 3:1-3 NLT). “Store my commands in your heart…write them within your heart.” The heart is the perfect place for our teachings to be well “saved” or “stored,” as fathers for our children and in turn for the children of our children.
Chapter six of the book of Deuteronomy is one of my favorites. I am sure that any knowledgeable Hebrew of the Scriptures that we now call the Old Testament could immediately relate to this chapter. Look at verses four through nine: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”(Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT). Can you see it? God commands us to first keep or “store” His ordinances in our hearts. The Law was granted to the people of Israel written in stones … on “tablets” made of stone. Now these ordinances should reside in the heart of each one of them. But the imperative does not end there; we must always teach them to our children. Let them also be engraved in their hearts.
Ministerio Padre de Corazon
With this, my first “blog” of Abiding Fathers, I am pleased to announce the new name of the Hispanic Ministry of Abiding Fathers: “Ministerio Padre de Corazon” (Father from the Heart Ministry). The people of Israel could relate the meaning of the wise words of Solomon in Proverbs 3:1-3 to those of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, The ordinances of God were to be written deep and stored in their hearts first and then taught to their children and their children’s children. It is in the heart of the father, the hearts transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ, that as fathers we can fulfill our duties as dads. Padre de Corazon is a name that all Hispanics can relate regardless of which Spanish-speaking country they come from.
