Father to the Fatherless

As I continue to pray that God would release me into my destiny, the Lord unfolded a different aspect of it yesterday. In all truth, I was not expecting this aspect of it to be part of the discussion. I had told God that I had entered rest where marriage was concerned and that I was never going to let it be a an issue between us. I had really began to slide into the thought that I would never be married and that it would be well with my soul. I have said it often to those around me that a man is not a need. I can live without one. But it would be good to have one. But delay is not denial!! Now I know (this is personal revelation) that if I remain single forever I will miss out on God's best for me. Yet for others, it may be that if they get married they will miss out on God's best for them. That is why I say it is personal.

The Lord led me into several prayers last night and this morning. He also asked me to put together a wish list where my man was concerned with instructions to put a seed and the list in an envelope and drop them at the altar on Sunday during the service. In the middle of my quiet time this morning I suddenly found myself missing my dad intensely. I remembered the day he came out of surgery. I remembered the day he told me that he was going to die. I remembered conversations we had in the past and how towards the end of his life he had become my confidant. I would ask for his advice and tell him what I was thinking of doing. If dad said no that was the end of it. If he said go ahead I knew that God had spoken. Many times when I was confused about what to do, or if I had two options that seemed right, I would ask God to speak through dad and whatever dad said to do is what I did. I was blessed every time. I miss that.

I remembered the day he died. I remembered his face and how my sister Gigi and I were the wailing women in the hospital. Gigi and I had such a special bond with dad. We knew without a doubt that he loved us. Even when we did crazy things and got ourselves into a mess. It was dad who always picked us out of our mire, provided solutions to our mess and punished us in love. He did not spare the rod. Not Dad!!! He would whack you good and then give you an added punishment just for effect. But his discipline was the life giving kind. His loss was very painful for me. However, I must say that God stepped in immediately to fill the gap. He became my Father in more ways than one. Even though I felt dad's loss I did not have a void or gaping hole within me. God filled up that spot immediately and by so doing preserved me in more ways than one.

This morning God showed me in the Bible of another person that had lost a parent and how God had stepped in to comfort him. Genesis 23-24 talks about the death of Sarah and how Abraham mourned and wept over her. Isaac was there too. Like me, he was weeping and mourning the loss of a parent that dotted over him, that encouraged him and loved him. After Abraham had buried her it is important to note that he saw a need in Isaac that he did not see in himself. Isaac did not realize that he needed a wife and he was 37 years old. He was probably saying like me that she was not a need but it would be good to have one. Yet his father, who represents God in this case, saw a need in his son and immediately knew that a wife would meet that need. So he sends his servant, who represents the Holy Spirit, on a matchmaking mission. He says to him "...get a wife for my son Isaac."

You know the story. The servant is successful and comes back with Rebekah in tow. Verse 67 of Genesis 24 gives the conclusion of the matter:

"Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

The love between a man and a woman has a comforting effect in the death of a loved one. It is no wonder then that in this time of discussing my destiny God would think of my wholeness and would see a need in me that I have not even seen in myself. What a wonderful Father he is. God takes care of every need to ensure that you are whole in order to run with the destiny that he has in store for you. I am not deceived. I know that marriage is for destiny, but how wonderful to know that God wants to comfort me after my fathers death and to use a wonderful man of God to love on me like Christ loves the Church and to become a confidant and covering for me as surely as Dad was. I know in my spirit that even now the Holy Spirit is out on a matchmaking mission on my behalf for the word of the Lord says in Isaiah 34 :16

"Search from the Book of the Lord and read; Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For my mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them."