Daddy Daddy

First Love – Inspiring others to fall in love with Jesus

The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles Psalm 34 v 17

We took a trip down memory lane last week as my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion we got out of the attic some old photo albums. Yes friends, actual albums, not a digital piece of equipment in sight! There is something wonderful about turning those pages and journeying through those precious memories.

The children especially enjoy looking at their baby journals. If you don’t know what they are, well they are books that contain details of all their firsts. So their first steps, first foods, first car journey and of course their first words. All three of them asked - “What was my first word” and my husband proudly replied “Daddy” or more accurately “Da Da”. Yes I will admit there is a part of me that is slightly annoyed about this, especially as I was the one who gave birth to them and nursed them. However the truth remains Daddy was their first word.

It got me thinking about the parent - child relationship and the reasons a child calls out to its nurturer. They call out your name when they are hungry, tired and hurting. They cry out when they want to be held or when they simply want your attention. I am 30 something and I still cry out to my mum for all of the above reasons. As a parent you do your best to meet these needs, however it is simply impossible to be able to soothe every concern and be there 24/7. As I pondered this I considered the fact that God the father is omnipresent. That he is always with us even while we sleep, he is there watching over us. Now you may be reading this today and you perhaps didn’t realise that he was there. That he was there when you were crying alone, he was there when someone said something that hurt you, he was there when you were given that bad news and he is with you right now. Have you called out his name?

Just as a father responds to his crying child, God wants to draw close to you and answer your prayers. The psalmist writes in Psalm 18 v 6 “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears”. God wants our first words to be Abba Father, he wants to respond to all of our cries, when we are tired, weary, spiritually hungry, hurting and even when we just want to be held. He is waiting now for you to call out his name.

Not only is he a Father that wants to meet your deepest needs but he is a God that saves. Paul wrote in Romans “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom10v13). Friends, listen to what God is saying here, this is for all to hear. My children like to joke with me and ask “who is your favourite, mum?” and of course I say I love you all the same, well it’s the same for God. In this scripture Paul makes the point that everyone who calls out to God, that’s Jew and gentile, you and me. Anyone who cries out to God, who sincerely seeks him with all of their heart will find him and he will answer. Amen!

So what is your need today? Are you hungry, weak, tired? Perhaps in need of a hug? Cry out to the Father, share with him your concerns for he is waiting and listening and he cares for you.

Until next time

Debbie