I wish my dad were here.

He died in November 2014 after a short but difficult battle with cancer.

I trust that he is in a much better place now than this problem-fraught earth, so it’s not like I wish he were back again dealing with worldly problems instead of enjoying heavenly awesomeness.

What I mean is that I wish I could hear his voice, his advice, his unwavering support regardless of my situation. And his strong hug that he never stopped giving even after I became a man. I can actually still feel it.

In the book I just published of daily devotionals, the last entry on page 292 is about him. Here’s what I said:

“He taught me that standing out isn’t important—but that working hard is (no matter what you do). He taught me that making family a priority means making sacrifices. He taught me that you can take life seriously and be silly at the same time. He taught me how to paddle a canoe, and that sometimes you just need to tune out the criticisms of other people. He taught me that experiences are more important than stuff.”

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) says to “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

I don’t want to depart from it. And if he were here today I would love to just chat about some of the things I’m dealing with, get his always-honest and unpolished input, and assure him that I will do my best not to depart from “the way I should go.”

Many of you have had loved ones die. We miss them, don’t we?

I wish my dad were here.

May each of us lean on Jesus and be walking tributes to the countless hours of care we’ve received, and to the lessons we have learned.

By Matthew Ruttan
—Learn more about the “Up!” book of daily devotionals here (and also where to order a copy)!
—Click here to read what I said at my dad’s funeral.
—Click here to learn what I’m preaching about this Sunday at church.