I Will Never Leave You

Hey Friend,

It was a sunny day outside, but my mood was far from sunny.  I sat, by myself, in a very official looking conference room in the office of the mediating attorney.  My soon to be ex-husband sat in another conference room somewhere removed.  

My attorney stepped out of the room to meet with my husband's attorney and the attorney who would be facilitating the mediation.  Mediation is "short" for after 25+ years of marriage, it all comes down to a giant balance sheet of who gets what and who owes what.  Bottom line.

As I sat there, alone, I wondered how did it come to this?  I never thought I'd find myself in this situation.  Never in a hundred years, yet here I sat solitary with my thoughts.  It wasn't long before my eyes welled up with tears.  I wished my dad, who had passed away less than a year before, could be with me.  I needed his composure, his wisdom, his strength.

My hand began to tremble as my fingers fumbled around in my purse.  I pulled out a starched and ironed handkerchief that was my dad's.  He always carried one of these in his pocket.  I learned to iron by ironing my dad's cotton handkerchiefs when I was a little girl. Holding it up to catch my tears, I suddenly felt his presence.  I knew he was with me, there in that room, and I knew I would get through what the next few hours would dictate.  

I look back on that memory and my dad's presence comes readily to mind.

What a comfort to know that I wasn't alone in my hour of need.

If my earthly father, who had passed away, gave me that amount of comfort, how much more so could my Heavenly Father give me strength, peace, grace, and comfort in my hour of need?

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

That memory of my dad has pointed an arrow directly to the love of my Abba, Daddy.  I admit not always having an intimate relationship with God the Father.  I related more to Jesus, but as the years have ticked off, I find myself drawn to a God whose heart softened time and time again to His people, Israel.  No sooner would they swear allegiance to upholding their end of the Covenant, then they were off worshiping idols and defying God with their disobedience.  

Even with such blatant disobedience, God remained faithful to His

Covenant.  

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Despite what I may have thought, God never becomes disappointed with us.  It's simply not in His character.  Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.  Nothing can ever separate us from His love.  

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities,  neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.… (Romans 8:38-39)

As I think upon and remember my dad today, I find I miss him even more as the years have gone by.  His love language to me may not have been in the words I so dearly wanted, but He spoke to me through his reliability, his providing, his quiet strength and wisdom.  I've learned to appreciate these facets of my dad's love.  

Knowing that I could count on my dad, has helped me to know, without a doubt, that I can count on my Heavenly Father.  His love is far beyond any human limitations we place on it.  God's very definition is "Love" and He cannot deny himself.  

Praise for His goodness that is never-failing!  His lovingkindness endures forever!

Thanks, God, for giving me my dad and for the way that His life pointed an arrow directly toward you.  To my earthly and heavenly Fathers...thank you that you never leave nor forsake me.  In this I take confidence and strength.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you, today especially, for my earthly father and how his love reflected your love.  But, for all those whose earthly fathers may have let them down, help them to know that Your love is always constant and never forsaking.  Thank you that you are a Father who can be trusted always.  I praise you for your lovingkindness and your goodness.  You ARE the very definition of love.  Work that truth deep into our hearts.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.  

What about you?  Do thoughts of your earthly father point to God or make you wary of God?  What does the Bible say about the character of God?  Do you trust that it is true for you?  If not, would you take this moment to invite God into the hurting places in your heart?  Feel free to share your thoughts...

Be blessed...

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