Engraven on His Hand

Watching our son-in-law become a father this week has been a profound reminder of the incredible responsibility that goes with that job title. He so desperately wants to do this job with excellence and that longing of his heart drives him to seek wisdom. He asks big questions of Kregg and I about priorities and goals and value systems, how to make wise choices in his role. We often don't know how to answer. 


He and Hannah spent months praying over Samuel's name, asking the Lord who their son is so that the name they chose would bless his calling. I love this picture of Jeremiah just watching Samuel sleep and I love to hear him talking to him, speaking blessings over his son. As he recognizes the awesome responsibility the Lord has given him, he will press ever more deeply into the Father's Heart to learn his job well.


All of this causes me to give thanks again for Kregg and how he has poured himself into fathering all of these children all of these years. I remember the night Hannah was born. We both kind of expected her to be a boy because there were so many boys on Kregg's side of the family, at that point. (Our four daughters kind of evened up the count) When they came in to do the birth certificate, while they had her little foot inked up, Kregg asked them to put her foot print on the inside of his forearm. He walked around the hospital telling everyone, "That's her footprint!" He showed people at the office and at church. He would stick his arm outside the shower so it would last as long as possible. Talk about adorable!! He melted my heart like Hannah had melted his. 


Remembering Kregg's excitement the night Hannah was born and that little footprint on his arm, reminds me so much of how our Father writes our names in the palm of His Hand. And nothing can remove it. Nothing. We are His. Always and Forever. 


Seeing these two precious papas dote over their children shows me a clearer image of my Father God. The evil one seeks ever to destroy the "father" image in our lives because he understands how powerful the picture a godly father is in pointing people to Him. And, unfortunately, many people never learn to trust the Father because they never learned to trust their father. 


So on this day that celebrates fatherhood, may we pray that the true picture of the Loving Father be written on the hearts of all those who have yet to understand the blessing of a Father's Love. All of those whose fathers were the ones who wounded them the most deeply need to know of the redemption that awaits their broken hearts when they gaze into His Face and see what a true Father's Love looks like. If any of you have wounds inflicted by your earthly father, open your hearts and let him bring healing and hope. He is so Good. He is so Trustworthy. Everything He does, He does in Love to bring about the very best for you. You were created to be His Beloved Child. You were a gift He gave Himself. Don't let the evil one rob you of your inheritance. 


No human father will ever be perfect. They will each inflict wounds on those they love, because they are human. 


There is Grace. 


It is Sufficient to redeem any hurt. But we have to choose to trust. 


There is no substitute or replacement that can fill the hole in our hearts meant to be filled by Him. And He will fill it to overflowing, if we let Him.


To all those precious fathers out there, you are heroes! Press into His Heart and learn to walk in the fullness of your calling. He will reveal to you how to bless those He has entrusted to you. He will teach you how to train them up to glorify Him. Ask Him. Just ask Him.