“A father to the fatherless…is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalms 68:5)
Summer is a great season, but for those of us, who live with divorce, summer is often one of the most emotional times of the year.
Just last week, my daughter returned to her home in North Carolina to ready herself for the first day of school. She had spent six weeks with me this summer and I don’t remember when I have ever enjoyed her more. We went swimming almost every day, and every night when I put her to bed, I was able to enjoy the sweet innocence of a child as I listened to her recite her bedtime prayers. These are moments that many of you take for granted, but for me, they are already some of my fondest summer memories.
Last Sunday, the curtain dropped on all that fun. Visitation (as the lawyers call it) was over and the only time that remained for us was the three-hour ride to Anderson, SC to rendezvous with her mother.
Our trip started out just like any other trip. Her older brother went along and they played together, with an occasional break to talk with me. Normally, Tori pays no attention to where we are, but when we approached the Georgia/South Carolina line, I didn’t have to tell her that our time together was growing short. She knew that we had less than a half-hour remaining.
These are the times that hurt most for me. When I looked over at her and saw the tears streaming down her cheek, I understood exactly why God told the Prophet Malachi, “I hate divorce”. (Malachi 2:16)
“Don’t cry, honey. We still have some time left. Let’s make the most of it.”
“I don’t want to leave you. It hurts,” she told me.
“I know, sweets, but we’ll see each other again next month.”
“Promise me you’ll call me tonight,” she pleaded.
“I wouldn’t miss that call for anything,” I assured her.
I realized as I reflected on that painful exchange that I am not alone. It’s a frightening statistic, but behavioral scientists predict that divorces will outnumber marriages in the 1990’s. Indeed, there are a lot of us who look forward to summer, but like children, dread to see it come to an end.
I don’t think I could survive the experience I just described if I couldn’t depend on God to be a father to my daughter when I am not around. That’s one of the many promises he has made to us and as a Christian, I can claim it. After all, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
I can’t provide my daughter with the watchful eye of a father. Divorce has robbed me of that privilege. But I have a Father above who promises me that in my absence, he will keep an eye on her. After all, she belongs to him, which is why the Apostle Paul said, “The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:16)
Thank you, Lord for the promise of your Word and the consolation it offers in times like these.
Share on Facebook