It’s Saturday afternoon and a young hospital executive is riding home from an event. Two friends are riding with her when her cellphone rings. The two friends know she is happily married, but they let worldly semantics and media situation become the prism by which they read the name on the caller ID. The name that appears is not her husband’s name. It just says, “Daddy.” So, the friends ask in such a way that they seem to think it is some secret admirer or mysterious man, a sugar daddy, who is calling. They ask in a sarcastic way, “Whose Daddy?” It was very close to “Who’s your Daddy?” As beautiful and styling as the young executive is, they must have ventured into the “Housewives of Indianapolis” mode. The young woman starts laughing. She picks up the phone and her laughing keeps her from responding to the male caller who is repeating, “Can you hear me? Can you hear me?” Before she answers the caller, she clarifies for the inquiring minds, “It’s my dad!” It really was her dad, and I ought to know. For you see, I was the caller, and she is the only one of my seven children who call me “Daddy.” As a side note, the other six call me, “Dad,” “Pops,” “Poppa Long,” and even “Pastor” or “Pastor Dad.” But listen, whatever they call me, they all recognize who I am and respect me, and revere my presence in their lives! Back to the story. The friends in the car join in the laughing for a long, hilarious moment. They all probably needed a good laugh after a long workweek and after their contribution of time, on a day off, at a community event.
Now let’s make this relevant for you who have real religion. There will be times when your Daddy, your Father in heaven will call you. And like my initial question to my youngest daughter was, “Where are you”, God will from time to time call out to you and ask the same question, “Where are you?” He might follow up with, “What are you doing?” just like I did Saturday on the phone. I need to insert that the Heavenly Father asks the questions, not because He does not know. He sees all and knows all. He asks so that you can evaluate your actions and even your thoughts. He asks so you can see if you are behaving according to His will or the will of another, including self.
And listen, He may interrupt what you are doing and inject Himself into the place where you are heading, wherever you are going literally, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally. And when He gets your attention, usually by the inner voice of the Holy Spirit working in you, just doing His job even while you are surrounded by friends, He will have questions. And you will have questions posed by others. Questions like, “What’s going on?” “You look like somebody is talking to you! Who is on your mind?” Do you want to know what you should do? Good! I suggest that you do just like my daughter, answer straightforward, “It’s my Daddy?” And then clarify with this edifying, elongated statement, “You may call Him by another name. Perhaps you call Him Father or Yahweh. Perhaps you call Him by a different name? Perhaps you get biblical and call Him Jehovah-Jireh, El Roi, El Shaddi, El Rapha, or perhaps “LORD.” Maybe you just call Him “God and God all by Himself.” But whether you call Him or not, I will call Him. He is my Daddy!”
I hope I have stirred up you God-consciousness on this Tuesday morning. You will need it! I hope you will have your spiritual ears listening when the Holy Spirit poses some questions to you? I hope you discern it is not your conscious speaking, but rather the Creator is speaking, your Daddy! Oh, I need to tell you that it’s okay if you make the call to Him first. If you don’t know where to start, use the template provided by Jesus in the verses below. Have a great day! Be blessed!
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’” (Matthew 6:9-15 English Standard Version)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King