The Day Daddy was Too Late...
 

The family had just sat down to breakfast and there was an excited knock
on the door. Dad got up from the table and answered. There were some
whispers back and forth and when he came back to the table his face was
ashen. He said to those sitting at the Table "we need to pack for we are
leaving Egypt soon". His wife scoffed a bit and said, “Isn’t this just
another ruse like the last few times we have packed and then had to
unpack?"  

The Dad's face became more sullen when he announced that there was going
to be something happening on a scale as had not happened before.
He told them there was an angel of death coming to take the first born of
every family that did not have the blood of a lamb applied to the Entry of
every home. Then he got up from the table and went to work leaving a
family with shocked looks on their faces.  

After work he was stopped by a friend and asked if he had got the lamb
yet. He said, "no". There was plenty of time to find one later. He had
some things to do. He knew that time was somewhat short but he figured he
could do what needed to be done and then get the lamb. As he passed by
others on the way home from work he could see they had already bought
their lamb but he thought to himself, "I've got plenty of time to get what
I need and be ready".  

They were sitting at Dinner that night and his wife asked him,
"Did you get the lamb today?"
He got somewhat angry that she should question him
"No" he replied "But I will soon".  

His oldest son looked at him but didn't say a word. He knew not to cross
dad when he got home from work. He trusted that Dad would provide for them
when it was time. He trusted that Dad would make the right decisions for
them. He didn't have any doubt that his father would let him down. He
loved his Dad and Dad loved his time.  

Dad left the Dinner table and told the family I'm heading down to the
Inn.
Dad always did this after dinner. He would leave Mom to clean up and the
kids to play. He needed his time alone and the Inn had other things to
offer that his family couldn’t provide.

The Inn was a bustling place of
entertainment, things to watch and people to see. There often was a fight
and often women who would tell off color jokes. The Inn was a source of
rest for Dad who worked long hours and when he didn't want to deal with
the wife and the kids he would head for the Inn. He was enjoying his time
at the Inn so much he somewhat would forget or could forget what was real
and time would fly by.

Soon it would be night and then his youngest son
Eli would come and at times would have to drag his Dad by the hand out of
there. Other Times Dad would be startled and rush his little guy who had
come to get him out the room for what was going on there was too much for
the child to see but the child saw.  

Dad would get home that night somewhat pleased by the night's happenings.
He saw things at the Inn he never saw at home. He just considered it his
guilty pleasure but things never went as far as to cause him to join in.
He just liked to watch. He told himself he would never do the things he
saw at the Inn. He walked thru the door as usual and his little guy went
to his room and fell asleep. He went up to where his wife was lying tried
to rouse her but she was fast asleep. Just another night of the same he
thought. Tomorrow he would get up and go down to the where the Elders
gathered and forget the night.  

The first scream troubled him while he slept. He thought he was dreaming
then there was a second scream, a terrible blood curling scream, in the
night that went from two to a thousand. He awoke and listened to the
screams. Then his wife woke up beside him and said to him, "Thank you for
getting our lamb".  

He broke out in a cold sweat and could feel pain running thru his body.
He jumped out of bed and threw his clothing on as fast as he could. His wife
sensed something was wrong. He looked at her with despair and said,” I
forgot to get the lamb" She screamed at him,” HOW!!"  

He said he didn't know. He had been down at the Inn and while there it
made him forget all his troubles.  
"YOU GO TO THAT INN EVERY NIGHT!!" she screamed... "How could you
forget?"  

Their yelling woke up the kids....

He didn't have time to talk or explain. He knew the corral was a mile away
from where they lived. He ran as fast as he could all the while his wife
was screaming “WHY?”

As he was running he begins to curse all the time he spent at the Inn. All
the hours wasted. The times his sons would come to get him and he told
them to leave, that he wasn't ready to go yet. All the time he had missed
out on games his family had played and all the times he had to shoo the
kids out because of what they would see at the Inn. He cursed the Inn in
the night loudly.  

He got to the corral and there many lambs there but he couldn't see in the
dark. He had to squint just to make them out. He just picked one that he
thought didn't have spots and began to run as fast as he could back home.

While he ran he began to cut the lambs' throat. He knew that if he could
just get his hands bloody he could apply the blood to the door post of the
home and get back into bed and everything would be alright.  

He heard the screams getting nearer and nearer and could see his wife
standing at the door screaming for him to run. He ran for all he was worth
but he wasn't very fast. His time of sitting and eating at the Inn had
placed a toll on his body. He was fat and out of shape. He had gotten fat
at the Inn and again he cursed his time there. He screamed out against the
Inn.  

He got to the house and threw his bloody hands against the door post of
the home raking them and cutting them by the rough hewn wood soaking it in
the lambs blood and his own. He had made it and he would get into bed and
wake up and everything would be okay.  

He walked into his home and his wife was strangely quiet and tears were
dripping down her face. His oldest son was laying on the bed barely
breathing looked up and him and said, "Dad, you were too late to save
me".

The man dropped to his knees to beg God for mercy but mercy never came.
The next night the man was back at the Inn and his family was at home but
the oldest boy's bed was empty.  

Fathers don’t be too late... Make right Decisions now....  
What Television can provide for you today may cost you dearly
tomorrow...  

Just some thoughts...

thought provoking post but the INN could be anything from a job to a forum...many things other than a TV...yk?

Shameless fear tactic ....

Sorry I scared you... :tiphat

Yes, thought provoking. Perhaps anyone reading it could fill in the blank for the "Inn" in their life. :tiphat

You both are right... it could be anything that pulls our time away from our responsibilities to our family...

Television just seems to fit the bill more consistantly..

I was thinking internet porn would have been a better fit for the Inn.

Great Story.

The question could be "What is the Inn in your life?"

or maybe some common sense...

I'm wondering what the blood had to do with anything. I see what it's trying to say.

Too many loose ends. Most pentecostal writers (that I have read) have a hard time making a logical argument...maybe it's our culture.

TELEVISION????? I read all that just for a propoganda smear on television??????:ignore

Or maybe I'm speaking from personal experiance and I realized that before it's too late I have to save my family...

wow. what strong reactions.

Point of the thread - thank you Mrs.McD! :tiphat

I thought the same thing, ILG!!!

:friend

LOL! I had no idea he was going there. I was wondering what "Inn" I may have in my life. I know - it's AFF!!!!! :toofunny :toofunny

Always telling.

You know when you have hit on a nerve.

Ya think??

:neener :neener

You don't want anything to provoke you, do you...God forbid...

I am blown away.

First, by the GREAT story and the strong message! Awesome.

As a parent with a television I see the great need for vigilance and control. I appreciate the warning and the opportunity to discuss it.

Second, I am blown away by the reactions. I’m shocked that some here (Pastor Poster in particular) who cannot see the value in the message because it crosses the ideological divide. Bro, we tend to defend the same plot of ground on this esoteric philosophic battle ground but I think you’ve just attacked and ally here because of the subject and not the message.

Lastly the "typical scare tactic" comment. Sometimes reality is viciously scary. Sometimes blunt truth and a timely word shakes a person. I think this is one of those.

Just blown away. That is all I can say.

I've been drawing that conclusion. :winkgrin

I cannot name a thing on AFF that has made me want to go sit and bawl my eyes out than this thread.

Ah, what a difference the audience makes to pearls. :)

PP.. you know I am your friend and have been...

The Inn didn't kill the Kid.... It killed the Dad...

"Scare tactics" are not unbiblical.

But a loving relationship with the Savior had better be in place when the scare wares off.

No, the idea that if i am not carefull, I can spend my own time ignoring my son and THAT WILL kill him, came thru loud and clear.

I think you saw "television" and got blinded to the message.

Read the story again. The child died because of the father.

Nope, it was the neglect of doing first things first.

You could replace television with many other things, some might even be chruch activities.

If I'm too busy to do the things that will get the blood covering over my family, I'm too busy. Even if those things I'm doing are "Church" related.

Sorta like "The Passion"?

Maybe....if that is what your "Inn" is... or as someone mentioned before "Internet Pornagraphy" or "Sports" or even the "Church"

Because Television is my battle!! and probaly a few others here too!!

As Coonskinner said...the Story hit a Nerve and by the response here it seems that some have been blessed by it and others angered by it...

But I will tell as sure as I the Lord spoke to me last night... the principle of the Story or moral of it is imbedded in my heart... I have a responsibility to the Two Young Men God Gave me to raise.. to do right by them Boys!

and truelly there is a tear in my eye as I type this...

Yes... I wrote it...

PP... I know your not angry... but I appreciate your responding.. and I do consider you a friend...

I am not against video... or making responsible decisions on what we look at or see... but for me personably I don't want to get to a place of being detached from my family as to not be able to recognize where they are at and where I need to be...

Very sobering and yes the application fits tv and serveral other things that could be mentioned.

Thanks for taking the time to post and please pay no attention to the nay sayers.

WOW>
Awesome RevRandy...
can I email this to my church??????

Yes.. if you feel too..

I have to say this is a good story and RevRandy has hit on a vital nerve.

Hollywood has a way of desensitizing us until finally we think everything is ok with TV. TV promotes everything that is ungodly.

But, we can control it.

And it kills our kids.

And, maybe even us.

:tiphat to RevRandy.

A well trained dog cares not for the context of the command he only responds to the command: "Sit" you beautiful thing' gets the same response as "Sit" you flea-bitten mutt.' It's only the "sit" that he hears ......... and his response is always the same. Sound failimar? :whome

Psalm 127:3-4, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a (His) reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”

Your children are God’s most serious assignment in your life.

“Gift/ heritage” = that which may be passed on as a permanent inheritance, but an inheritance in the sense of a trust. In law = ‘the confidence reposed in a person by giving him nominal ownership of something, which he is to keep, use and or administer for another’s benefit (in this case God’s). Something that belongs to another but has been entrusted to you for you to care for, for you to teach, for you to love, for you train up, for you to protect… but in accordance with the instructions of the giver… the true owner: God the creator…Steward or managers of that which belongs to another: God.

“Arrows” --- Children are like arrows and parents are like the bow. Parents are to make sure their children are aimed toward the right destination not just to do with what we please. Parents you are setting the direction of your children’s lives. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU AIM!

Good words Elder.