An Open Letter to a Four-Year Old Boy on the Day After His Birthday

Isaiah,

Four years ago we were in a hospital in Hannibal, MO.  Daddy was changing his first diapers and still in awe that the little boy that I was holding in my hands was my precious son.  From the moment that mommy and I first saw you we fell in love.  I still remember when your eyes and daddy’s eyes met.  It was as if you were thinking, “this is the face to the voice I’ve been hearing muddled for a few months now—what’s up daddy!” 

My love for you has never waned in these four years; only grown.  I may be a tad biased, but I am convinced that you are the most amazing little boy that is presently walking on the earth.  You have such a fun sense of humor.  I love hearing you tell jokes.  You are a really good joke teller.  I love hearing you laugh as you watch cartoons.  I love watching you be Spiderman, Mario, Hulk Hogan, or any of the characters from Despicable Me.  I love to make you laugh.  I love watching baseball (or Cars, or Despicable Me, or Mario, or all the other movies) with you as you fall asleep at night. 

I love hearing you tell us the story of Jesus’ birth.  I am very proud that you are only four but you seem to be starting to understand the gospel.  I am so blessed to be able to teach you all of the Bible stories—not for the sake of Bible stories but because they point us to Christ.  I’m glad that God has decided to give me you as a son.  I am gladly blessed that for how many years the Lord sees fit to have you live under our roof that we get to share this life together.  Even when you get older, get married (if the Lord so decides), and have children of your own (if the Lord wills), you will still be my son and my love for you will continue to grow.

I look forward to all of the experiences that we will have together—except for maybe teaching you math.  I know that we already enjoy watching baseball together and I look forward to cheering for the Royals this summer.  I also know that at some point you will probably create your own opinion and the Royals, Browns, Bulls, and Missouri Tigers will be less appealing.  In those moments it will be fun to root against you. 

I also know that we already love telling stories together.  It is such a blessing to get to tell not only Bible stories to you for the first time but also church history stories.  I have to confess, I am very proud that my little boy that just turned for can tell people about Augustine, John Calvin, Absalom Jones, and a host of other figures in church history.   

Yes, you are quite an amazing blessing to mommy and daddy.  We know that every bit of this comes from our gracious and loving Father.  Every good and perfect gift comes from God.  You indeed are a wonderful gift that we know has come to us from the Lord.  May mommy and I enjoy every moment that God gives us with you.  I pray that the gospel goes deep enough in mommy and daddy’s heart that we can enjoy this wonderful gift that has been given to us.

My prayer for you and your life continues to be that whatever you do that you do it in obedience to the Lord and you do it so that Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen God, may be the only boast of your generation.  I pray first and foremost that soon and very soon you may come to savingly know Jesus as your Lord and your Savior.  Then I pray that all of your life is one of growing in your knowledge and enjoyment of everything that Christ has purchased on your behalf. 

Isaiah, Jesus is very good.  Daddy will let you down at times.  Jesus never will.  Daddy loves you a million times infinity—but Jesus loves you even more.  Daddy, would give his life for you; Jesus, already has and would do it a million times over—though that is not necessary.  He is the one you need.  You will spend eternity marveling at and worshipping Jesus.  He is cooler than Mario, more awesome than Gru, more powerful than Spider-man, and has far more joy than all the Cars combined—yes, even Mater.  I know too that by the grace of God daddy is one of your heroes too.  Jesus is way cooler.  We will spend all of eternity in heaven, together, worshipping Jesus.  He is our shared hero.  As much as we love watching the Royals together—we will infinitely more enjoy worshipping Jesus.  He’s the one you need.

Happy birthday, bud.  You are a huge blessing to mommy and daddy.  There is so much more to say and I am thankful that I get a lifetime to say it and show it.  I love you!