Tommy sat on the church steps, twirling a dandelion. The wind captured a cluster of seed parachutes, catapulting them into the air. Like the incomplete seed head, he felt his life had been breached. Finding Father would be difficult.

As much as he wanted to tune out the voices he heard coming from inside the church, he could not. He knew the identity of every voice, and their words cut deep.

An Earthly Father

“I can’t take him,” Aunt Mabel shouted. “With the Great Depression, I can scarcely take care of my own.”

“It’s because he’s not a girl,” Uncle Derrell countered.

“Then you take him in,” Aunt Mabel retorted, “or can’t you handle another son? The good Lord only knows how much mischief your children have gotten into.”

“Mabel, that’s enough!” Uncle William said. “John, just because you’ve gotten remarried doesn’t mean you get to ditch the youngest. He’s your flesh and blood!”

“He’ll manage.”

“He will because I’m going to take him.” The church doors creaked as Uncle William leaned into their massive frame. “C’mon, Tommy, let’s go home.”

Tommy’s dandelion scattered farther. Some of the seed parachutes crushed underfoot as he and his new “father” exited. Having been abandoned by his birth father without so much as an apology and knowing his stepmother rejected him outright, could he trust Uncle William, whom he’d only seen at an occasional family gathering?

As Tommy clasped the hand of the one who held his future, his dandelion broke in two. Dropping the stem, he let go of everything he held dear, including his relationship with his birth father.

Uncle William opened the car door. Tommy stepped in.

“Call me Dad, okay? If this is going to work, you’ve got to recognize that I’m your father now.”

Tommy looked back at the massive church doors. He wondered if God even existed.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.

~Psalm 68:5 NKJV

Uncle William became a father to the fatherless, and he was a good one. Even so, the emotional scars that raged within this six-year-old boy were deep-set, and haunting memories affected him into adulthood. His well-being would depend on his willingness to call on the Father of all fathers.

A Heavenly Father

All earthly fathers have character flaws. But regardless of what kind of father we’ve had, our peace depends on two factors: a willingness to forgive our earthly fathers and a willingness to allow our heavenly Father to be our parent.

Forgiveness boils down to deciding. Freedom comes when we forgive our earthly fathers for their shortcomings. By our grace, our fathers will know we have forgiven, even if we don’t say the liberating words, “I forgive you.”

Additionally, we don’t have to depend on our earthly fathers’ approval to know we are valuable to God. Acknowledging this turns the course of our lives in a positive direction.

We have a heavenly Father who loved us before we had a body, a name, or an earthly identity. We were in His thoughts before creation came into existence. And our reliable heavenly Father gives us a purpose for living.

A Fatherly Assurance

So, why do we experience shattering pain when rejected by a birth father? We live in a fallen world, so these losses happen. To have free will, God lets us make decisions. Sometimes, people don’t exercise this free will wisely. Yet, our heavenly Father cares for us always. He even brings substitute fathers, mothers, sisters, and friends to ease the pain of relational losses.

God sets the solitary in families.

~Psalm 69:1a NKJV

So, make it your goal to nestle into Daddy God’s arms of grace. It doesn’t matter if you have ever heard approving words from your father or anyone else. Your heavenly Father shouts from Heaven’s gates, “I love you, child. You are Mine, as I am yours. I sent my beloved Son to ensure you know how deep and wide My love is.” No matter your age or accomplishments, Father God wants to lavish His love on you.

Think of ways to find comfort in knowing Father God loves you.

Father God, help me to absorb every ounce of love You want to impart to me. Thank You for being the best “daddy” I could ever hope for. I love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Genre: Creative non-fiction; names and some details changed.

Copyright 2022: Finding Father: Diane Virginia: All Rights Reserved

Published: June 2022: Inspire a Fire: Senior Editor Martin Wiles; Executive Editor Cindy Sproles