There Once was a Man...

This week I begin a new message series entitled "Why?" I'm focusing on some of the questions that are most asked of God. And by far, the most asked question is "Why does God allow such suffering in the world?" That is where we will start this Sunday.

When suffering comes into your life, you have a choice. Will you run into the arms of Jesus, or will you turn inward with bitterness and resentment? I'll let you decide what choice Dora Tenenoff made.

In 1993 Rick Tenenoff and two other missionaries were trying to advance God's kingdom among the Kuna Indians. Columbia guerillas crossed the border into Panama and went into the village where the three men were ministering and kidnapped the group. For sixteen years now the group has been missing and is now presumed dead.

Rick's daughter, Dora, was a young child when she lost her father. At 15 she wrote a poem that expresses the heart of a daughter that has run into the arms of Jesus:

THERE ONCE WAS A MAN....
There once was a man, a man I once knew.
Who told me stories every night, laughed at my jokes, and held me tight.
He told me, "Don't quit! Always fight the good fight!"
He said, "Love the Lord with all your heart,
and serve Him with all your might!"
He begged me, "Do right!"

There once was a man, a man I once knew.
Who taught me how to tie my shoe,
and gently smiled at every picture that I drew.
He told me, "When you start something, don't stop until the job is through."
He said, "I love you."

There once was a man, a man I once knew.
I saw him in my dream, and it made me scream,
I called out, "Daddy!"
but he told me nothing,
He had nothing to say.
For what can you say,
When you are far, so very far away?
"Daddy? I said,
then a voice echoed in my head.
I lay quiet and still in my bed.
Again the voice,
Your daddy made a choice,
a choice to serve Me with all his might,
To not give up,
to fight the good fight!
He is doing a job for me and is not yet through,
so remember: I love you!"

There now is a man, a man I now know
He lived and He died to save men from their sin.
He made it possible for us to be born again.
I know because my daddy told me so.
And even though he's no longer here,
My God will always be near
To fill in the gaps and show me which way to go
I miss my dad so much,
But God has a plan.
So for now I'll just wait and watch the work of His Hand.

There once was a man,
A man I once knew
He's now just a memory slowly fading away.
"Dead or Alive?" you ask,
"I don't know." I say.
So I beg you, Please Pray!!
Pray my daddy knows that every night,
I whisper, "Daddy, I love you!"

There now is a man, a man I now know.
Every day He becomes more real to me
Every day in Him, I grow.
Every day I pray that my love for Him will show
I've made a choice, to serve Him with all my might.
To not give up, to fight the good fight.
Here on earth, I may not see my dad again,
but that's all right.
'Cause when my life is through,
I'll finally hear them both say
My child, I love you!!"

Read more about Rick and his companions here.