Dancing with Dad

The other day as I ate in McDonald’s sitting across from my dad, I witnessed a common interaction between a father and daughter. The father was on his smart phone, busying himself while he let his little girl play in the play place. The cute little girl about the age of 4 or 5 was trying to shoot a basketball. After I finished my burger I couldn’t help but watch her. It really was a pathetic scene. The little girl was far too small to come close to making even one basket, but nevertheless, she was content in trying. As she would hold the ball in her little hands ready to shoot, she would look over at her dad, who sat close by, to see his head bent over his phone. Then she’d pause and say expectantly, “Daddy, look!” He would then look up and watch as she made an attempt to make the basket. This happened probably 20 times, at least. She would not give up in making the basket nor in getting her dad’s attention. She would pick up the ball, turn to her dad, and say yet again in urgency, “Daddy, look! Daddy, look! Daddy, look!” until she saw him look up. She was far more interested in gaining her dad’s approval than even making the basket.

I have had similar experiences with my dad.  I know the desire a little girl has to have her dad’s attention and approval. Praise the Lord, my dad has been there to watch most of those occasions, but as loving and attentive as he is, he still has other family members and a church to look after. I can’t always have his eyes.

But as I watched the little girl and pondered my own experiences, a thought occurred to me. Sitting there in the public restaurant, it brought a tear to my eye to think that our Heavenly Father is always looking, always attentive. I never have to look up towards Heaven and say, “Daddy, look,” because He is always looking. I have His eyes at all times. He is never too busy to be interested in what I’m doing. Even more than always looking, He’s always watching. Unlike any earthly father, our Father watches us while in complete control of our circumstances. We can rest in His faithful care, knowing He will watch over us and be there when we call upon Him whether for a desperate need or to look for His approval of our actions, as a daughter would her father.

Psalm 121
“I lift my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

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