Who’s Your Daddy?

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” according to crooner Andy Williams. With COVID, chaos, and corruption erupting all over the country (and the world) I’m having trouble buying it. The oppressive gloom of hopelessness weighs heavily on me. If I, who truly feel blessed in my life, struggle with this, I can only imagine the impact on those who are more directly affected.

So it was, as I went to bed the other night, a sense of doom settled around me for which I was ashamed. We are told to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance.  We are to let perseverance finish its work so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything—James 1:2-4. I meditated on that when I awoke a couple hours later to attend to our eccentric Maltese, and then again, as I sat down for my quiet time with the Lord the next morning.

Whenever we ask for that which the Lord desires, He is always faithful to provide. I was reminded of this when I opened up my devotional Streams in the Desert by L.B Cowman to the day’s passage. The Lord ministered to me in a poem by George MacDonald (which I will include below) and then again when I tucked into the scripture for the day. 2 Samuel 13-15 recounts the evil and deception in King David’s household surrounding the rape of his daughter Tamar by his son Amnon. It continues with the murder of Amnon by David’s other son, Absalom and gets even darker from there. But in the end, God’s sovereign hand prevailed—and it always will.

There is no conspiracy, wickedness or deception hidden from our omniscient God. There is no power (or love) greater than His. We are called to serve a mighty God who holds each of us in his righteous right hand. Amen? Not only should we be filled with such gratitude and praise (dare I say joy), we should seek His will for our lives in preparation for what’s to come.  I’ll be very transparent here: I pray for a pre-tribulation rapture, because I doubt in my strength, boldness, or courage in the face of what Revelation tells us is coming. The truth is, I am incapable to do anything on my own, which is what I need to keep reminding myself. This may not happen in my lifetime or yours, but we are told to be prepared because the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night—1 Thessalonians 5:2.

There is no time to be apathetic or accusatory or divisive—all attitudes that seem to prevail even among self-professed Christians. We are the Lord’s army, and we must stand strong in the face of the enemy. I love Ephesians 6:10-18 which reminds us to be clothed with the Armor of God. So, let’s strap on the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and shod our feet with the gospel of peace. And let’s not forget to take up the shield of faith and cover our heads with the helmet of salvation. We’ve got a job to do.

I said: “Let me walk in the field;”
God said: “Nay, walk in the town;”
I said: “There are no flowers there;”
He said: “No flowers, but a crown.”

I said: “But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din;”
But He wept as He sent me back,
“There is more,” He said, “there is sin.”

I said: “But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun,”
He answered: “Yet souls are sick,
And souls in the dark undone.”

I said: “I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say;”
He answered me, “Choose tonight,
If I am to miss you, or they.”

I pleaded for time to be given.
He said: “Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in Heaven
To have followed the steps of your Guide.”

I cast one look at the field,
Then set my face to the town;
He said: “My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?”

Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in the light Divine,
The path I had feared to see.

—George MacDonald

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