Julia and I had moved to Marysville, Washington, to live near my parents as a prelude to traveling to Aruba, Venezuela. We were preparing with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) to become directors of a youth camp in Aruba.
Through family connections and in order to support my young family, I became the youth pastor of an independent Baptist Church and moved into a home in the middle of Marysville. It was an interesting old house with a French 18th century water heater converted to an oil burner.
Our home sat across from a police station that had a playground next to it, which we came to think of as our own private playground. At the time, Jennifer was our cute and very precocious almost 2-year-old.
We enjoyed the home but the experience at the church was an interstaff disaster. As a result, there were times when Julia and I were struggling to remain Christlike in our attitudes toward the church’s leadership. I was learning as a young dad that I couldn’t hide my emotions from my little daughter. She seemed to instinctively know when I was happy or troubled.
One fine morning, my little one and and I stood by our big window looking across to the playground by the police station, the playground obviously inviting us to come out and play. But when my little Jennifer looked up at my troubled face, she knew I was feeling in no mood to play. Looking up at me and pulling on my arm she said, “Daddy, let’s pray.” So, we knelt down and prayed.
A thousand times since I’ve come before our Heavenly Abba, on mornings like this, and said, “Daddy, let’s pray.”
A thousand times since I’ve come before our Heavenly Abba, on mornings like this, and said, “Daddy, let’s pray.” And so, I bow down to pray for my precious daughter and her family, they’re going out and coming in, on this weekend of travel, and know there’s no reason to have a troubled face any longer.
Jesus Christ taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit rises up within Christ’s followers convincing us of the Father’s love and calling forth from the depths of our being the cry, “Abba, Father!” Now, Jesus intercedes at the right hand of the Father for us and the Spirit within us prays God’s will be done, even when we groan under the weight of our sin and the troubles of life.
There’s no reason to have a troubled face any longer as we look to God in heaven for the answers he holds in his heart to give us. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled…”
To this day, my daughter and I pray for each other, and together. What joy to know that my daughter’s heart belongs to my Heavenly Father!
Scripture References
- …For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:18-22 ESV
- …but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:14-17 ESV
- “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. ” Luke 11:1-4 ESV
- Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:1, 15-17, 23, 27 ESV
- Those who look to him [the LORD] are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. …Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:3-8 ESV
Additional Resource
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