Jay Payleitner and his wife, Rita, were driving back home late at night after a visit with their son, Randy, a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  They had taken the afternoon off from work to travel down to the University to see Randy participate in an intramural coed flag football game.  They made the 6-hour round trip to see him play, but when game time came around, the other team forfeited because they didn’t have enough players.  The Payleitners were disappointed, but at least they had a good visit with their son.

As they traveled back home, Jay thought of the many things that he could have accomplished had he not made the trip, but then he came upon a familiar spot on his journey that brought to his mind a wonderful memory...

Ahead I saw a bridge crossing over the Fox River.  A distant memory stirred... from back when I was a Boy Scout.  Every fall our troop made a two-day, 40-mile canoe journey down the Fox.

There was one year I would never forget.  My dad dropped my brother Mark and me at the launch, made sure our life vests were snug and said goodbye as our flotilla set off.  I plunged my paddle into the water and pulled hard, then lifted and stroked again.  Mark, in front, did the same.

Before long we had a good rhythm going.  “I wish Dad could see us,” I thought.

About a mile downriver we came to a bridge.  I looked up and there he was.  Dad, standing right in the middle of the span.  He didn’t shout instructions or do anything embarrassing.  He simply waved until we passed underneath.  I looked back and he was gone.  Huh?  Was I just imagining him?

But several miles later, at the next overpass, there he was again.  And the one after that.  And the next.

It turned into a game.  The whole troop began looking for him.  Every time we rounded a bend that day someone would shout, “There’s Mr. Payleitner!”  All the boys were waving now, but no one was happier to see him than I was.

My dad had taken a chance and literally gone the extra mile (and then some) to show us his love.  All these years later it had never left me.

Now I drove across the bridge in the darkness.  I imagined Dad standing there, waving, still encouraging me.  It made me think of a nightly prayer I’d said when the kids were younger, asking God to help me be the kind of dad my kids need.

At last I understood the most im­portant thing I could do for my children — just be there, even if it meant going the extra mile, the way my dad did for me, cheering me on. *

When we were separated from God, not by miles but by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2), God came to us in the person of His Son Jesus (John 1:14).  He came to save us and to make us His own by right of redemption.  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can be reconciled to the Father and become His children (John 1:12).

We are saved from our sins, added to His family, and receive the gift of eternal life when we place our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

Then we can call God our “Father” and know that He is always there for us.  “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).  He is “for” us (Romans 8:31).   And, He will be there for us – even when we stumble and fall.  He will pick us up and forgive us when we turn back to Him in humble penitence (1 John 1:7-9).

God has gone the extra mile – and then some – just so you can become His child.  Won’t YOU accept His loving offer by submitting your life to Him?

-- David A. Sargent

* From “The Extra Mile” by Jay Payleitner in Guideposts, posted on May 16, 2011, www.guideposts.org

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org