"My raising task seems filled with just two vital things
At first to give her roots and then to give her wings"
At first to give her roots and then to give her wings"
NOTE: I, the writer of this blog post, was not raised with my father. I didn't have him in my life until I was 34 years old. Therefore, the insight on father/daughter relationships comes from observation and conversation with those who were blessed to have good daddies from the start. ~ Melissa
To know who we are as God's daughters, we must know Him as Father. Many who read this may not have known the fatherly love and interaction that will be discussed in upcoming blog posts. Being unfamiliar with a healthy father relationship can often be a barrier to a healthy relationship with God. Just trying to imagine God as Father is challenging because many daughters have not experienced a loving earthly father.
But God is a restorer who is able to supersede our natural experiences with flawed human fathers, and give us all the chance to know what it feels like to be Daddy's Little Girl.
The Beginning of a Great Relationship
The relationship between a parent and child is probably the closest thing we can compare to our relationship with God. However, the birth of a daughter to a father, and the relationship that starts in the delivery room is different from any other. Some fathers have been known to state that this bond requires a unique level of sensitivity, gentleness, and compassion greater than that exercised with a son.
The coo of a baby girl can bring tears to the toughest eye. Many fathers have shared that the initial feeling of unconditional love following the birth of a daughter, is immediately overshadowed by a sense that they are the designated protector of this small, precious, vulnerable gift.
Observing some of the earliest images of father-daughter beginnings brings to mind one word--PROTECTION.
This is not so different from our Heavenly Father, Who makes it clear in His Word that He is our protection.
"The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender." Psalm 18:2 (NCV)
As daughters of the Almighty Father, we must allow God to be our protector.
This idea of being protected by a father may be difficult to grasp. Many daughters have not been protected by their dads.We live in a society where daughters are vulnerable, particularly those of color. With abortions on the rise in America, just being born is a miracle. Many of those who are born, are brought home to houses where the father is absent, either literally or emotionally. Too many daughters are born into homes where they are abused physically and sexually by fathers, or father figures. Emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse are experienced regularly through the media, as well as those who claim to love us.
God's protection is dependable and real...
An essential part of accepting the idea of Fatherly protection is that God's promise to protect does not mean we will not experience danger, harm, suffering, or pain in this sinful world where we live.
What the promises of protection from God do mean is that in spite of whatever we might face, God is with us. He is able to provide refuge, shelter, in the midst of the storm. He is able to take a terrible situation and work it out for our good.
The key is to seek Him in the time of trouble. Get alone and talk with God about the situation. Find references to what you're going through in the Bible (use a concordance if necessary) and see what God is saying about how to wisely handle your circumstances. Seek the advice of a godly father, or father-figure that you can trust for wise counsel (someone who fears God and lives like it).
The protection of the Father is one of the first ways we see God working in our lives. We recall times when we should have been harmed, but were not. We are reminded of quiet (and not-so-quiet) urgings to avoid danger that we couldn't explain in the natural.
Thank You, God, for being my protector in a world full of danger and vulnerability. Thank You for Your Presence when I was overwhelmed by negativity and fear. When trouble comes, and I know it will, may I hide in You, surrounding myself in an atmosphere of worship. Thank you for being my Daddy, the One who takes the responsibility of guarding me from all that seeks to destroy me. Thank You for the honor of being Your Little Girl. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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