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Music playing is Abigail - The Irish Film Orchestra from the album Streams,1999  As we celebrate Father’s Day my mind is filled with thoughts of my own father who went to be with the Lord in 1989. The relationship that we have with our fathers affects much of our identity and often can affect our relationship with the heavenly Father. I was blessed to have a father who loved me deeply - in fact I would say that I definitely was a daddy’s girl. My daddy made me feel safe and secure. I never doubted his love for me, my sister or my mom. I knew that I could depend on him to be my protector. He also encouraged me to pursue my dreams. He believed in my talent and made me believe that I could soar and succeed in life. As my journey took many twists and turns, he always supported me with wisdom and emotional support. There were times when I didn’t take his advice, which I usually regretted, but he was wise enough to let me fail and then support me emotionally in the process of healing. Daddy was a man of few words so when he spoke you listened. He didn’t speak often about his faith, but was faithful in attending church and made sure we were involved as a family. When he died of a heart attack so long ago we didn’t have to search too long for a Scripture to place on his memorial stone. The verse I heard him quote most often was from Micah 6:8  I often think of my father’s memorial service and the way he lived his life, especially around this season. I remember standing for hours at the service as literally hundreds of people whom he had touched with his life came forward and spoke of his influence in their life. Many I didn’t know. He was just daddy to me. But in Baton Rouge he was a successful business man who had lived out this life verse as best he knew how. Not perfectly of course, but in little acts of kindness and mercy and justice. He walked humbly and quietly in his faith, for I had not known before the countless stories others shared with me on that day. One man who worked for my father said, “ When I was sick in the hospital your father came to visit me every day for weeks.” Another spoke of a year when our family business had financial difficulties and my father had written Christmas bonus checks for his employees out of his personal account so that they could have the expected funds for Christmas presents. As the church was filled with friends and business contacts I was struck at the influence one life can have and I was grateful and blessed to have known him as my daddy.  My dad - "Sleepy" McCarty As I’ve grown in my own faith I’ve come to understand how the hunger in the human heart for intimacy and value is greatly influenced by the relationship we have with our fathers. I'm so grateful for the beautiful relationship my precious husband Ken has with our daughters. The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:7 Yet, as I write I”m very aware from my ministry to women through the years that your story may be very different from mine. In fact, I’ve come to understand that my story is rare. So many men and women have difficult relationships with their earthly fathers. If your father was absent, negligent, abusive or emotionally distant then Father’s Day is probably a difficult day for you. Even more important is the understanding that your relationship with your father may affect your intimacy with Father God because we derive our sense of self worth and well being often from our earthly fathers. When that need isn’t met we tend to put up walls of protection or seek substitutes to try and satisfy the hunger in our hearts. It’s vital that we ask some questions - Am I running to someone or something other than Jesus to satisfy a need that only He can ultimately meet? Have I put up walls to guard against intimacy in my relationship with God because I’m afraid I’ll be hurt or disappointed like my earthly father wounded me?  When our fathers fail to meet our basic need of security and love then we often carry a fear of intimacy into our relationship with Father God. However, our earthly fathers, whether loving or not, can never perfectly love us. They are limited in their ability to love - but God is unlimited. Unlike your earthly parents who may have wounded or disappointed you, God will not fail you. I love the way Claire Cloninger describes this need in her book on prayer entitled “Dear Abba”. “From the pages of the Bible, from the beauty of creation, from the hidden rooms of our souls, the Father is calling us, his children, into intimate relationship. It is not a relationship bound up in rigid rule keeping. It is not some private religious club that bars potential members until they measure up. Quite the contrary! It is a relationship of grace which calls us
from whatever love substitutes we’ve been relying on. Home---where our names are known and our gifts are celebrated.” If these words touch something deep within your heart then consider spending some time in prayer. Ask Father for healing, for peace, for the ability to trust and for the experience of love, joy and grace in your relationship with HIm as your “Abba” Father or Daddy God. Ask Him to reveal the inner fortresses and outer facades that keep you from an authentic, abundant life with Him. Ask Him to draw you into an intimate relationship and teach you what it means to rest in the security of His Father love. Consider writing down your thoughts as you gradually let down the walls of protection or learn to recognize the father substitutes in your life. In faith go to your Abba Father and explore the truth of His Word. Ask Him to reveal HIs character to you. Listen for His voice of love speak to you with the tender yearning of a Father who longs for you to enter into an intimate relationship with Him. It is a relationship that heals and transforms. Your name has been carved into the palm of his open hands (Isaiah 49:15). Your face is ever before Him and He waits for you in a love that will never fail or forsake you. May our response to the love of the Father always be to draw near to Him in worship. Please take a few minutes and worship with the song below "Who is Like the Father" written by Fike and Dana. They are wonderful worship leaders whom the Lord is using to draw the hearts of His people to Himself. I have had the privilege of knowing Richie Fike since he was a child in our church. What a joy to see his gifts used for God's kingdom purposes in such a powerful way. You can download the song from their album Make a Sound at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/make-a-sound/id504851034 For more information on Fike and Dana and their upcoming project go to http://fikemusic.com/index2.php#!/News  Pure Worship! See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1 NIV  Who is like the Father? There is no other. He restores His children. Handing out redemption. Who was, and is, and is to come. Who is like the Father? There is no other He delights in mercy, Healing all the hurting  Who was, and is, and is to come He was, and is, and is to come. Holy is the Lord, Holy is the Lord, Worthy is His Name, And greatly to be praised. Holy is the Lord.  Who is Like the Father There is no other. He's calling us His chosen and mending what's been broken. Who was, and is, and is to come. He was, He is, He is to come. Holy is the Lord, Holy is the Lord, Worthy is HIs Name and greatly to be praised! I love you, I want you God, I need you more than anything! Resting and Rejoicing in Father's Love, Kathy  If you would like to receive the "Monday Musings" RESTORE blog each week via email, please sign up and enter your email address in the upper right hand corner.
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