Some thoughts as Father's Day approaches

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 NASB)

I've had this album (Soulfire from Christafari) in my collection for about 15 years, yet the message of this song recently blessed me in a fresh way, even as I seemingly chose it at random for my Thursday evening radio show.  The questions asked are deep ones and really challenge me to reflect on my past and get in touch with experiences, longings and yearnings. Tragically, for many of us men it seems only natural to suppress our feelings and and hide our insecurities and fears.

Can we remember a time when we could go to our fathers in our brokenness and frailties, unafraid of being wounded in those tender places? Was there a time when we had confidence that we could find assurance and affirmation in the arms of our fathers?  Was there a time we knew we could count on dad to bring comfort and strength and could go to him without hesitation? Maybe for some of us, sadly, the answer is "no."  As John Eldredge puts it in "Wild at Heart", perhaps we've been wounded by our fathers, as well-intentioned as they may have been.  Thankfully, we have the opportunity to learn from our past and allow Almighty God, the God Who is love, to work in us and through us so that we can do better by our own children.  If you're like me and you're not there yet (experiencing fatherhood), you're in the preparation and training mode for what we believe in faith is to come.

No father is perfect and no father, no matter how wonderful, could ever take the place of our heavenly Father, our Abba Father, who invites us to come to Him with our bumps and bruises with confidence, knowing that He loves us and desires to bring peace, healing and assurance to the depth of our souls.  Maybe it's time to begin to let the guard down.

Give a listen to the song "Come Children" and meditate on the lyrics.  See if you're not blessed like I am.

COME CHILDREN
Was there a time that you could cry, and never try your tears to hide?
Was there a place where you could go, where secrets live and feelings show?
For as we grow and childhood fades we build our walls we complicate while somewhere deep inside cries that lonely child

Chorus: Well come God's children say God wants you to come, come let us rest in our Fathers arms. Well come God's children say God wants you to come because God's love, I say it will never end (is eternal). Did you ever fall asleep in your Fathers arms "come, come, come, come children, so calm a heart so full and free from harm? " ". Come now once again we return again to that quiet place " ". Set free just to live again in His sweet embrace " ".

So many on their quests for peace a shelter where their hearts can rest still held by chains built up from pain, could never trust enough to love again so let Jah love come enter in and in time you will begin to find and to love as the child deep with in your soul.

Chorus.