A young boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away.
When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad’s father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go.
The youngster reacted tearfully. “But Dad,” he pleaded, “all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go.”
The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, “All right, you may go.” Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm.
The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party.
As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son’s every step to make sure he arrived safely.
Throughout our life God is very much like the father in the story. God is there for us, whether we realize it or not.
My Commentary:
The boy thought he was walking alone into the storm. From his point of view, it was his courage that carried him forward — his determination, his desire not to be left out. He did not know that every step he took was matched by another set of footsteps just behind him.
That is often how life feels. We move forward with limited vision, buffeted by winds we did not choose, struggling through conditions that make progress slow and uncertain. We tell ourselves we are on our own, relying on our strength, our resolve, our luck. Only later do we discover how closely we were accompanied.
The father did not stop the storm. He did not clear the path or make the journey easy. Instead, he stayed near, close enough to protect, far enough to allow freedom. His presence was quiet, unobtrusive, almost invisible — but absolutely faithful.
So it is with God. God does not always remove danger or prevent hardship. Love does not mean insulation from difficulty. It means companionship through it. God walks with us in blizzards of every kind, watching, guarding, and guiding, even when we are unaware.
The boy reached the door believing he had made the journey by himself. Only a fleeting glimpse revealed the deeper truth. Much of life is like that. We often recognize God’s presence only in retrospect, when we look back and see where we were sustained, protected, and brought safely home.
God is there for us — whether we realize it or not.
How have YOU sensed the presence of God in YOUR life as a father looking out for YOU?
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING IT IS TO KNOW THAT GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS SO GREAT THAT IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO BE MEASURED!
Please share this Message with someone who has lost faith in themselves and in God.
