My son and his partner have split up. He hasn’t seen his children for four months. During the last week of the school holidays, it was arranged that he and I meet them in a park. The two older children were there with their friends and they acknowledged him as they played on the climbing frames and swings.
He approached his youngest daughter, nearly three years old, and went to hug her. But she turned and pushed him away. ‘You’re not my Daddy,’ she protested, ’My Daddy’s at work.’ He drew back as he saw the fear in her eyes. Her Mummy has a new boyfriend. I saw the upset in my son’s eyes. He was broken hearted and devastated. His worst fears were realised. I had promised him that children didn’t forget and that she would recognise him when she saw him. Looked like I got it wrong.
We carried on playing with the children. The little one was happy to interact and gradually came out of her shell more and more. As I pushed her on the swing, she leant back and said, ’Grandma? Is that my Daddy?’ I assured her that it was. Then he chased her and they played a tickling game pretending that his fingers were worms – a game they must have played often in the past. Something must have clicked in her memory.
As he bent over her, I heard her whisper,’ You ARE my Daddy!’ I saw the look of love in both their faces and the tearful hug that followed.
How devastating it must be for our Heavenly Father when we ignore Him and look on other gods or philosophies in His place! It doesn’t take much for something to usurp His place in our lives. But we know deep down He is our Father and we are reminded by the way He behaves towards us and what He has done for us.
Abba, Father, let me be Yours and Yours alone.
May my will forever be evermore Your own.
Never let my heart grow cold, never let me go,
Abba Father, let me be yours and yours alone.