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You should all know what this quote is from.
That’s right: The Lion King.
Mufasa says this to Simba from the clouds. Simba has been struggling to come to terms with his past, and his dad, although dead, is there for him to guide him. Yet where was Mufasa for all those years as Simba grew up, when he was all Hakuna Matata with Timon and Pumbaa?
He was there. But, he was waiting until Simba came searching for him (thank you, Rafiki).
This reminds me so much of God the Father. He created us. And even though He loves us, and wants what’s best for us, He waits patiently. We can turn away from Him, trying to ignore Him, but His love never falters, it never fades.
As a father, it’s hard to watch my children make mistakes or get hurt. It’s hard to be patient with them (yes, I know that it will only get more challenging as they get older). It’s hard to still show them compassion and understanding when they disobey me, get hurt, and come to me for comfort.
Yet it’s what God does for us. And it’s what we, as fathers – as parents, guardians, grandparents, mentors, teachers, leaders, etc. – are called to do.
Wow. I just had to stop writing to try to get Ezra (3 months) to take his nap. Beth laid him down, but soon after he started getting fussy. I picked him up, tried to burp him, laid him back down. Got fussy again. Picked him up, finally got a burp, and laid him back down, thinking that was it. No chance. He kept on fussing, and I kept trying to get him to go to sleep without rocking him to sleep. At this point, he was overtired (which to those who haven’t dealt with this, means it’s even harder for them to fall asleep). I started getting frustrated. I rocked him til he got really drowsy, then laid him back down. He started getting fussy. I started getting fussy. I started thinking, “Damnit Ezra, go to sleep, I need to get this article done.” And then I remembered what I was just writing about. Whoa. Okay, I need to calm down. He wants to sleep and is having a hard time. I need to be patient until he falls asleep. That’s my job right now. The article can and will wait. One of my go-to “lullaby” songs is “Lord I Need You” by Matt Maher. Instead of just singing the words this time though, I was praying them, and it helped me to calm down. The words “without You, I fall apart” really hit me this time. Without God I would be a much worse dad than I am. I’m grateful for God being the perfect Father to make up for my imperfections as a father.
I pray that all fathers allow themselves to rely on our Father more and more.
Happy Father’s Day
