A Father’s Heart
A few FATHER’S DAY thoughts…
My mind goes back to March 28th, 2020.
The scene was my daughter’s room. Priyanka and I were both there. My eleven-month old, Haven Rahab was her bubbly self, but furiously working on her next feat.
Her first step.
With a swaying upper body, her arms bobbing for balance, and her legs shaking, I remember the day as though it was this morning. Releasing the grip on my fingers, she paused.
And then…
…it happened.
She put one foot in front of the other followed by the other foot in front of the other followed by…
No.
Then she fell.
Can you imagine my disappointment?
Can you imagine how frustrated I was at her?
Can you imagine how close I was to just giving up on my daughter ever learning to walk?
OF COURSE NOT!
The opposite was true.
Her mommy and I were elated.
We cheered.
Celebrated.
Called our friends and family.
Sent out the video of her step.
IMAGINE.
We sent out a video of a human being taking ONE STEP!
It wasn’t about her fall.
It was about her step.
And you know what?
Haven (maybe) took one more step ALL day. It wasn’t much…but we weren’t focused on what she wasn’t doing.
No.
We saw the process.
We celebrated the progress.
NOW…
None of you needs to know that I am an earthly father. And IF I, an earthly (very flawed) father celebrate my daughter’s first step, her first word of “daddy”, her first prayer, her first… (you get the idea)
HOW MUCH MORE our Heavenly Father?
Do we have have the mindset that our Heavenly Father is fixated on our falls, or is He the first one helping us up and encouraging us to try again?
Is He ashamed to call us His child, or is He as pictured in Luke 15 as a Father who celebrates His child who comes home…even when that child is covered in the muck of the pig’s abode?
Are we allowing our falls and failures to frustrate us and frame our perception of the Father’s heart?
DON’T MISS THIS!!
I’m not sure what your experience with your earthly father was/is like, but ON THIS FATHER’S DAY would you turn your eyes to the Ultimate Father?
The One who says…
“I will never leave you or forsake you!” (Hebrews 13:5).
“I have loved you with an everlasting love!” (Jeremiah 31:3).
This Father literally sent out a rescue mission to make sure you get to enjoy His presence and home forever. The Bible tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
It only makes sense that Romans 8:32 reminds us, “He (the Father) who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?”
Don’t let your perception of God mar or blind the truth about God. He is Father who is unwilling that ANY should perish.
He loves you more than you love yourself.
He wants you to be forever with Him more than you want to be forever with Him.
He is more willing to forgive you than you are to accept His forgiveness. He is more willing to call you His child than you are to call Him “Father!”
I don’t know what you have OR haven’t done…but what I know is FAR more important.
I know what HE has done for you!
Please.
Come home.
He is ready to celebrate that step today!
