Dad to the Rescue!
I turned down the aisle at Walmart simply as a short cut. I didn’t want to stay behind the people slowly moseying their way through the crowded store on a busy Saturday morning. But the aisle I chose was unexpectedly brimming with displays for Father’s Day. My heart instantly ached. What I wouldn’t give to be able to celebrate just one more Father’s Day with my Dad. Oh how I’d gladly slow my pace to find just the perfect card and a thoughtful gift to remind him how special he is.
Suddenly my mind transported me back to a wintery day during my college years. Naively I had decided to head home for the weekend and hoped to arrive safely before the impending snow became impassable. But, within minutes of leaving campus, the blacktop disappeared under a thick white blanket as the snow intensified. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel even tighter. I can make it I thought.
I attempted to reassure myself, but I couldn’t help notice a thin trail of smoke had started streaming from beneath the hood. It wasn’t just an over active imagination. Something was really wrong. I turned into the Pizza Hut parking lot hoping that they’d let me call for help, because it was a day before cell phones were really a thing.
I wish I could still remember his answers or that I could hear his voice reply.
Dad, I’m stuck.
I made it as far as Pizza Hut.
You’ll call AAA?
But how will I get home?
Although his exact words have long since faded in my memory, I still remember how helpless I felt when I called and how immediately he responded. In the middle of a snow storm, Dad dropped what he was doing to come rescue me and get me home safely.
I can’t help but think that how my dad responded that day shows us a bit how God cares for us.
He’s able to find us in a storm.
On that stressful day, my dad called AAA before he set out from home. They should have made it to me before he ever did. But, they couldn’t find where I was in the heavy snow. Dad on the other hand found me right away. I called and he was there. While God is always close, we can lose sight of him through the chaos of our busy lives or when we’re overwhelmed by life’s storms. But just like I called to my dad and he came, when we call out to God, we can draw close to him. He knows right where we are and can reach us no matter how fierce the storm is that tries to consume us.
He loves us.
My Dad showed me not just with his supportive words, but with his actions that he cared for me. Out of concern, he traveled to where I was to help me. God gives us countless ways to measure His love for us. In the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12) the man with a hundred sheep leaves the 99 to rescue the one that has gone astray. Sometimes we’re that one. We’re lost on the path of life and we don’t know how to continue. Call out to God. Say a prayer. Ask Him to help you and show you in ways that you can see Him moving. You’ll be amazed how He can answer even the smallest prayer and remind you that you are loved.
He travels with us.
My dad didn’t simply just call for a tow truck. He came to where I was and traveled my journey home with me. God does the same for us. No matter where we are when we ask Him to join our journey, He’s faithful to travel with us. He’ll be right there next to us, as long as we invite Him to travel with us. And I don’t know about you but I’ve found the journey goes smoothest when I yield the steering wheel to Him.
Prayer doesn’t need to be more complicated than a conversation. Just as I picked up the phone and said “Dad, I’m stuck!” we can say “God, I’m stuck!” When life’s storms cloud our vision and we feel desperate and alone, He’s one call away. He knows right where you are. He loves you. And, the He’ll travel the rest of the journey with you!
Happy Father’s Day
Wishing you a very Happy Father’s Day weekend. Whether you’re a father yourself, you’re celebrating with your dad, or your dad is celebrating on the other side with mine, I hope you’ve been encouraged by my adventure through the snow with my dad. I hope the image from my sweet memory encourages your faith. I’d love to hear from you to hear how this post has touched you. And if it’s encouraged you, why not share it with your friends. Simply click on the social media share buttons below.
In honor of Father’s Day, and in memory of my Dad, here are a few other Dad-Inspired posts that you might enjoy:
- 3 Heartwarming Gift Ideas for Father’s Day
- 5 Ways to Make the Most of Today
- The Unexpected Treasure in my Dad’s Shop and My Surprise Lesson on Brokenness
- How Stepping on Toes Strengthened my Faith
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