Who's Your Daddy?

By Belinda Kersey

God’s Word

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

The Song

Trials Turn to Gold  by Keith Green

My Thoughts

I was enjoying a movie with some family and friends. We were completely absorbed in the story and the movie had just become intense when one of the characters lives was threatened.  This young Hispanic gang member had “done the right thing” and gave testimony against a fellow gang member who had committed a murder.  In doing so, she had signed her own death warrant.  Fellow gang members were waiting for her when she left her home for school the next day.  They chased her down and had her up against a fence when the leader said to her “You should be dead today.  The only reason you’re alive is because of who your father is.”

Unbelievably, they let her go free.  Why? Her father was the adult leader of the gang.  Everyone in the theater was thrilled with this turn of events.  It didn’t hit me until later that night that all of us need to ask ourselves a very important question: “Who’s your Daddy?” I hate to break the news to you friends, but we should all be dead today.  But, praise God we’re alive because we have a Father in heaven!

Job knew who his daddy was.  What he didn’t know was that Satan wanted him dead, but because Job honored his heavenly Father, he lived.  Satan wanted to kill Job but Job’s daddy said, “NO!” (Job 2:6)  Job wasn’t aware that the horrible things that were happening to him actually weren’t the worst that could have happened. 

When you are feeling sorry for yourself because of all your trials and tribulations, stop for a minute and think of what could have been going on in the throne room of heaven on the day your struggles began.  Isn’t it just possible that Satan asked God to test you?  That Satan wanted to end your life because of your faithfulness to God.  Imagine your heavenly Father telling Satan-“my child will remain faithful through anything you can dish out but I’m telling you now-you must spare her life”.  I don’t know about you but that thought changes my perspective quite a bit.  I look forward to eternity in my heavenly home but my home here on earth is filled with a family that I am not ready to leave.  Yes, my life is lived with physical challenges and struggles but I would rather live this life as it is with my hubby and boys than to leave them at this time in the journey.

Daniel and his buddies knew who their daddy was.  They were bold enough to declare to the king that their daddy would save them from the furnace but even if he didn’t, they would never worship the image of gold.  Not only did their heavenly Father honor their bold statement but he sent His Son to join them for some fellowship in the fire!    Now, as a Royal Ranger wife and mom, I have enjoyed my share of campfires.  I must say, I have never been IN a campfire as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were, but just sitting by a fire causes every fiber of my hair and clothing to absorb the odor.  These boys were walking IN the fire.  The ropes that “firmly tied” (Daniel 3:23) them were burned away! But when they were brought out, they didn’t even smell like smoke (Daniel 3:27)!  Leave it to our heavenly Father to leave NO DOUBT in the minds of skeptics that he had completely protected them from every physical property of that flame.

People, God’s going to join you in your fire.  He’s not about to watch you from a distance.  Your daddy is standing right beside you and holding your hand.  Jesus knew who his daddy was.  He even prayed to him in the garden.  “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Matthew 26:39)  That tells me that it’s okay for us to pray that the trials we are going through be removed.  But, we also need to remember the rest of his prayer, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  Jesus knew that his Father’s purposes for the world would be accomplished only through his sacrifice. 

Are we willing to allow our heavenly father to accomplish his purpose through us?  God is working all your trials for good.  Keith Green had a wonderful song that said “He's brought me here, where things are clear and trials turn to gold. He shared with me, His victory
He won in days of old.”  I have no idea what God’s plan is for your trial but I do know the end result will be that when you allow Him to be your daddy and you trust Him with your life then He will “change our filthy rags to linen white as snow and our trials will turn to gold.”

Your Response

Tell your heavenly Father you are so thankful to be His child and you know that he is turning your trial around, even if you can’t see the results.