Glimpses of The Father's Delight

Being a dad is one of the greatest things ever! I get to understand, maybe, just a glimpse of the heart of God and His love through my relationship with my girls. One story in particular, to me, points out how Christ-followers can melt the heart of God.

This fall we were at the grocery store as a family. My wife, went in to get a few groceries and I stayed in the car with the girls rather than wake the baby up, unbuckle them, and cart them inside. The baby, was asleep and our oldest and I were listening to the radio. I reached back and started tickling her little foot. And then it happened. From the back seat in a sweet little girl voice, "I like you". My daddy heart heard those words completely unprompted from my little girl and I about turned into a puddle in my seat. All I could reply was something lame like, "I like you too Annabelle."

That three word sentence from my little girl and my response to it clued me into something that I easily forget. Just like me, my Heavenly Father, has a heart that is soft towards His children. I think we have the ability, because of Christ, to melt the heart of God. An unprompted three-word sentence expressing our sincere gratitude and love may have a similar impact on our God as my daughter's did to me. So why do I hold back my adoration and praise? Why don't I tell Him more often that "I like you". Annabelle's speech was just a spontaneous response to my action of reaching back and touching her foot. But it was so much more than that too. 

It was in response to the totality of my relationship with her. So often I get wrapped up in the good and pleasant things that are in my life that I can forget the One who gave them to me. Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and to him are all things." All things, the small little things like a car, house, and job can so often cloud my vision that I forget about the overall totality of my relationship with Him. Those things are good, but they aren't primary. He is primary. So I want to say more, "I like you Father." You bring my heart joy. I am so thankful to be Your child and that You love me.