Instead of writing a blog post today, the Lord told me to share one of the stories from my first book. He told me that someone needed it today. I love God’s heart! He is soooo good!
My Father’s Eyes
Once when I was praying for a battered woman to have a revelation of God’s love, I saw a picture of small drab squares of material in her head. As I continued to pray for her, the Lord told me that the pieces of material were quilt squares that represented bits of head knowledge that needed to be transformed through revelation and sewed in her heart. Although, at the time, I had some understanding of what God was showing me, the message really hit home one afternoon when I was babysitting my good friend’s daughter.
The little darling was a strong-willed, wide-eyed, brunette who was at the height of her terrible twos. Needless to say she was a bit of a challenge. After one particular trying morning of continuous temper tantrums, she fell asleep in my arms. Not only had she exhausted herself, but me as well. I remember thinking, as I held the toddler, “Thank God she is asleep!” About that time her father arrived.
After coming in the house and taking a few steps into the room, He threw his hands up in the air and sighed. Then he came over to the couch where I was holding his child. I watched in stunned silence as he knelt and reached over and touched his daughter’s face. With an expression of awe and adoration he whispered, “Isn’t she beautiful?! Isn’t she just beautiful?!”
“Beautiful? I thought to myself. “What is he talking about? She’s a little terror!” I watched his fingers gently caress his daughter’s cheek. Then I raised my eyes and studied his face. His tender expression of adoration both confused and captivated me. I felt a stirring in the depths of my soul. Then I saw a glimpse of his heart for his daughter. When I looked back down at his daughter’s face, I saw her through her daddy’s eyes. She was absolutely beautiful! I was still trying to take it all in, when my Father God tenderly spoke to my spirit, “That’s how I see you.”
In that instant a significant part of my childhood was re-written. Images of the disappointment on my father’s face and the frustration in his words to me were shattered. I was no longer the little girl who couldn’t “do enough” or “be good enough.” I was now “the adored one,” God’s beautiful child. It was as if God went into my head and found the little drab piece of cloth that I had stored away—the one labeled “Loving Father,” pierced it with the needle of truth and transformed it into a piece of the finest silk. Then He moved it from my head and gently sewed it to a quilt of love that was being pieced together in my heart. “Head knowledge” had become “heart knowledge,” and my Father God had become Daddy the afternoon I saw both a little child and myself through my “Father’s Eyes.”
I grew up believing that God was distant and disconnected. Although I was aware He saved me from my sins, I really didn’t believe that He knew me or even liked me— much less adored me. It took many years and many revelations, like the one I just shared, for Him to convince me otherwise. But His loving persistence paid off, and I can now honestly say that I am not only known, but loved and adored by my Heavenly Daddy!
♥Heart Encounter ♥
- How about you? Do you believe that God adores you and sees you as beautiful? Why or why not?
- It wasn’t just the words my friend spoke to his daughter that touched my heart. It was also his expression. He looked at her as if she were a work of art. She was, and so are you! Do you believe you are God’s masterpiece?
- Although my father loved his family, since he was rather controlling and critical, I saw God as being the same. I didn’t understand my value because I didn’t “feel” I could ever “measure up” to my earthly father’s nor my Heavenly Father’s expectations. What was or is your father like? How do you view your Heavenly Father?
- I often talk to people about the father wound. But this past year I have met many people with mother wounds. I’m beginning to realize both wounds, not only affect the way we view ourselves and God, but they also affect our relationships. Have your relationships been affected by father or mother wounds? If so, how?
- In Romans 8:15, Paul uses the term “Abba Father” to describe our relationship with God. The Strong’s Concordance tells us that Abba is also used as the term of tender endearment by a beloved child. It describes an affectionate, dependent relationship with the child’s father, daddy or papa. In the story, I mentioned that Father God became Daddy. To me the word father denotes authority or relational position, but Daddy speaks of passion. Do you believe that God is passionate about you? In your heart has He become your Abba Daddy?
As I mentioned earlier, it took years and many revelations for me to understand God’s heart for me. Without his being aware, my earthy father ended up participating in some of those revelatory moments. A few years ago I had the privilege of sharing with my father, not just my childhood pain, but the revelation and restoration God has brought me. Now that God has brought more healing to both of us, praise God, I have an earthly Daddy as well as a Heavenly Daddy.
Let’s Pray:
Daddy God, thank you for the beautiful quilt you are sewing in my heart. Continue to renew my mind with the Word and with your words of healing, as you bring me revelation and change my “head knowledge” to “heart knowledge.” Show me how my relationships with my earthly father and mother have affected my relationship with you and others. Thank you for loving me. I know you are passionate about me. I want to be passionate about you! I love you, Lord! In Jesus’ Name…..Amen!
Reflections:
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