Green Pastures
Weekly Devotional
Up Daddy. Up!
Browsing the web recently, I saw a clip of a tiny boy learning to walk. He dusted the floor with his little backside, unable to stay on his feet for more than a step or two. His dad came through the door just as his little tot once more plopped onto the floor and began to crawl, slowly at first, then much faster toward his daddy. Getting unsteadily to his feet, he tripped over the corner of the carpet and landed on the floor again. He sat, crying, and stretched out his tiny arms, “Up, Daddy, Up!” Dad scooped the child into his strong arms and lifted him high into the air as the child’s sobs of distress turned to screeches of delight.
Our Heavenly Father knows when we need to run into daddy’s arms, but waits for us to come to Him. “Up, Daddy, Up!”
Recently, I have been experiencing that in my own life. I’m certain I am not alone. God allows us into a certain set of circumstances that seem to be far beyond what we can deal with. We want to walk, to run, to climb. But often we are scrambling around, trying to walk through the muddle toward something better, only to find ourselves flat on our butts, getting nowhere. Frustration.
Then our Heavenly Father comes into our muddle, looks at us with a loving smile and picks us up off the floor, gives us a big hug and holds us high as He says, “my child, you have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. You may fall and get bruised in the process, but I’m here to keep picking you up.”
Psalm 91:4 says, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” A rampart is anything that acts as a protective barrier and that is what we think of when we are nestled in the loving arms of Abba – Father. Abba is a very special word In Hebrew and Aramaic, "abba" means "father" and implies a sense of intimacy, just as we would use "daddy" or "papa". It is a term of endearment and affection, indicating a close, trusting relationship. I think we should use that word more often. It says so much.
Believers may address God with the endearing term “Abba “because he is “our Father,” yet we should never use this term in the spirit of unsavory familiarity but with the full acknowledgment of his majesty, His power and unending love.
I love the way the tiny child in the video, as soon as he spotted his dad, picked up his pace and crawled as fast as he could to try to reach his daddy’s arms. He knew the best place to be. “Up, daddy, up!"
Isn’t that what we long to do when we need to be comforted? As He reaches down to sweep us up in His strong arms, He responds to our cry, and lovingly says, “I’m here”. I will keep you safe”. Those comforting words are found often in the bible, bringing such reassurance.
Aren’t there times when you want to be held close to the heart of the Loving One, to have Him tell you He loves you, that He’s with you to help heal your hurts, to reassure you of His faithfulness in the face of betrayal, to remind you that He has not forgotten you? Just run to Him, tell Him your needs and trust Him when you call, “Up, Daddy, up!”
"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart….” (Isaiah 40:11)
B. Klassen beatrice.klassen@outlook.com