Holding Daddy's Hand

Father’s Day brings to mind one afternoon, many years ago, when I took my two little boys to the mall so I could buy a pair of dress shoes. It was rather chaotic as my toddlers threw shoes on the floor, tried on all the size 13’s, and made lots of silly noises. Nevertheless, I found some shiny new ones.

After paying, we headed for the door of the mall. I tried to hold their hands, but it was no use. They weren’t interested. One ran ahead of me and the other fell behind. My oldest got outside first and stood still. I wondered why he stopped so suddenly. A few seconds later, I emerged from the exit and also had to stop. Then, my youngest, singing and dancing his way out of the store, immediately became silent when he stepped outside.

We were all still for one reason: the sun. It was so bright it literally forced each of us to stop walking, close our eyes, and shield our faces. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon, and the sun was so intense, we literally could not see where we were going.

The boys cried, “Daddy it’s so bright!”

There was no denying it. I simply stated, “Let’s walk to the car.”

None of us had sunglasses, which certainly would have helped. Yet, the boys had one advantage: me. A few moments before, they wouldn’t consider holding my hand. Now, I felt two hands feeling for mine. The boys poked around my waist until I removed my hands from shielding my face, and lowered my arms to let them discover my hands. As the three of us linked together, my older son said, “Daddy, I’ll hold your hand and keep my eyes closed tight.”

That was good thinking. Little brother declared the same strategy.

These guys had no idea that their daddy was also having a challenge. However, as an adult, I could adjust, adapt, and lead them to the car. What I needed was their trust. Trust in me, their father. As we walked hand in hand, I was touched by the faith they put in me. Their eyes closed, they held on to me tightly, completely placing themselves in my hands, asking me to lead them. Our heavenly Father desires that same trust from us.

We can’t handle things on our own, yet we try… Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). So, why do we try to face the bright, burning, scorching heat of our anxieties and problems without grasping His hand?

My sons had quickly come to the realization that they were helpless. They couldn’t move forward without their hands in mine. It’s so simple: a child places a hand into his dad’s grip. And we should do the same with our heavenly Father. It’s okay to reach out with some hesitation—giving up control is difficult. Yet, when we release the tight grasp we wrap around our fears and decisions, and instead place our trust in the guidance of Jesus, we understand what the Lord promises in His Word:

"I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17)

Reach for His hand and let Him lead, even if your eyes are still closed.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New International Version^®, NIV^® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.