A Father's Love
Thank God! He deserves your thanks.
His love never quits.
Thank the God of all gods,
His love never quits.
Thank the Lord of all lords.
His love never quits.
God remembered us when we were down,
His love never quits.
Rescued us from the trampling boot,
His love never quits.
Takes care of everyone in time of need.
His love need quits.
Thank God, who did it all!
His love never quits.
Psalm 136:1,26MSG
Sitting on the floor, with a couple of lumps of love in my lap and a few others playing with new toys on the floor nearby, the zinger came. The realization we were having a family gathering without Daddy hit my heart and instinctively I thought it was time to call him. Immediately following the realization of that impossibility, the tears began to form and trickle down my cheeks. Flicking a few tears onto my pant leg, I hoped to be able to wade through the moment. My tear ducts reminded me of a dripping faucet. Plop, plop, plop!
Heading into the kitchen, I began to find comfort in washing dishes. Then two of our chidden walked in and seeing me, they just said, "Davedaddy?" Then our daughter came forth with her mama's quote,
"Life is a lot."
What hit me was quite profound, but not an emotion that everyone would experience, for not everyone has experienced a father's love. The deepest, sincerest, safest love I'd ever experience on earth, was no longer attainable. The love of a parent. It's different from the love a child has for a parent, a sibling has for a sibling, or spouses share with one another. Those loves can be quite temperamental and carry the potential for rejection. A parent's love is like none other. It always longs, it always hopes, and it is willing to forgive. God obviously created this love, as a mirror of his love for us.
(Now grand baby love is evolving into a close second.)
While I long to be able to walk into my father's house, see his face light up and have him kiss me, and offer the most sincere inquiries into how life is going; I know there is no way he'd want to come back from where he is and that fact establishes a peace within me.
How futile life would seem without my faith. So, where do I go from here? I must return to my first Love. Grow deeper and deeper in my relationship with Christ and his all fulfilling, unconditional love for me. The acceptance of God's love and perfect plan for our lives is the ultimate pacifier until we reach our heavenly home.
