Another Father’s Day has come and gone with special get-togethers, gifts and dinners to help celebrate this Mother’s Day counterpart. I do confess however that this is the hardest day of the year for me. Everywhere I turn I hear the gushy accolades going out to fathers everywhere from radio specials to commercials, yada, yada, yada...like those radio special dedications to dad, so emotionally moving that I find myself drawn to tears as the son or daughter goes on and on about the man of integrity, epitome of Christ-likeness that their father is or was. I can only ponder what that must have been like to have a father like that!
I am pretty certain that there are some out there that really struggle to hear those testimonies and honestly, I am one of them. Many of us have heard the horror stories of abuse--whether violent or another yucky abuse of parental rights--and my heart really hurts for those who have that picture of ‘father’ etched in their mind. My father wasn’t abusive in its many forms, he was just irresponsible and absent!
After my first birthday my parents divorced and I lived the next nine years without a father in my life. And frankly, it had a huge impact on my life. His absence left a huge gapping hole in my heart that was never filled until I found my heavenly father at the age of 30. That’s a lot of years--with more than half of them formative--not to have a father figure in your life. Years that a girl needs to have a daddy she can dance for, crawl up on his lap knowing she is loved and affirmed, then told how special she is to him. Those kinda years are pretty pertinent to most of us girls! And lest I not forget how vital it is in a young lad’s life as well. This is tough stuff and especially on those Father’s Days when we are encouraged to honor and celebrate that parent.
I saw a post from a friend on FaceBook thanking those who stepped in and touched the lives of those without a father and I thought that was pretty special to mention. But I can’t really say that I received that from much of anyone. My stepfather was pretty disconnected from me (not be a bad man at all, he was kind to me) but at age ten, I was starting to act out after a fast and furious move to New York City from the Columbus, Ohio area that was filled with a lot of turmoil, only fueling my insecurities.
It is good to know however, that there is an answer to such sorrow at never having one of your parents because we have been given the best parent ever in the Lord because of Jesus Christ. So I have learned to honor and celebrate the best Daddy one could ever have. And as a matter of fact, mere men pale in comparison to my Abba Father! I am grateful to be His girl!
The Word give us the right to call our heavenly Father Abba, daddy...
Romans 8:15b “...but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
So if you know Christ, you too can cry out to your Daddy! If you don’t know Him visit here to find out more about Him because He is waiting for you!
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