God by Dad

My Father, John DeFoore Sr. passed away yesterday at 105.  He was an amazing man.  One of his many skills was writing.  He wrote this.

God By Dad

Who has never:

cursed and used this name to damn himself or another human being – 

stood in the presence of death and used this name to beg for mercy –

had a moment of ecstasy and felt the presence of this name –

looked at the rim of the universe without seeing this word written in the stars –

What single word has been dragged through the dirtiest gutters of the world – before being placed on man’s highest altars of worship?

No other word – in all the tongues – of ten billion beings – has survived.

No other word—

Is there any word used more than this? – God

We use it to bless.               We use it to curse.

We use it when we are happy.                   We use it when we are sad.

We say we don’t believe in the word.       We say we do believe in the word.

It comes out in conversation with friends.            It weaves its way through frustration.

It is an unknown entity to some.                It warms the hearts and lives of others.

To some it is the great unknown.               To some it is nothing.

To others it is everything.

Some say they are mad at the word.        Others say they are in love with the word.

There are those who call it enemy.           While to others, it is dearest friend.

These three strange letters, translated into ten thousand languages of human experience, stand – stark and dramatic in every human heart.

Three letters—

They are mystery.  They are warmth.  They are darkness.  They are light.  They are question.  They are answer.

The word remains—            God.