When Dad Comes Home

Sometimes a picture says a million words.

Above, Master Sgt. Joseph Myers surprises his daughter, Hannah, 10, in her elementary school classroom at Universal City, Tex.

Months pass before children see their dads return from deployment. Yet, there is a remarkable bond between parent and child. As opposed to acquaintances whom kids meet and naturally forget with the passage of time, 'daddy' is never forgotten. In fact, the time away increases (perhaps exponentially) the longing a child has for his/her dad. On the flip side, from reading the statements made by the dads who have to go back to war, I ascertain that the separation is just as difficult for the fathers. Of course, for the kids, NO ONE can replace a dad's embrace...and they do not care WHO is watching.

Three spiritual truths emerge from this:

1. As children of God through the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ, we long for the day when our Father and God embraces and welcomes us home. Our hearts anticipate it, but I don't think we'll know the true overflow of joy until that day when our time here has expired and we cross over to eternity.

2. Young children embrace their dads with joy and reckless abandon. Conversely, psychologists say that teenagers are more wary of their environment and tend to be more restrained in their display public affection when their dads surprise them with a visit home. It reminded me of the words of Jesus who said, "unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:3). So much goes into what it means to "have a child-like heart." One aspect of that sort of heart (I believe) is a pure, crazy-joy filled, up and down jumping, love for Dad.

3. A longing for God's embrace is within all of us. Furthermore, God delights and longs to be our Father. Jesus died so that we would be reconciled to God...so that we could call him, "Abba! Father!" (Rom. 8:15). At its core, that's what prayer is...us calling out to Daddy. God's Fatherhood extends to those who never had dads or to those of us who had dads but they either abused or forfeited (via divorce or separation)the position and title. The Bible describes God as the "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation."

One day in the near future, our faith will be sight...