My Father

"Do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven." Matthew 23:9 (NIV)

When I was a child of four, my mother moved my two sisters and me from Georgia to Baltimore. She had divorced my dad. I can only recall one time that he ever took an interest in my two sisters or me. He was a stranger that we soon forgot.

Mother later married a man she worked with at a defence plant in Baltimore. He also became a man living in our house who paid no attention to us. He and Mother had a stormy eight and a half year marriage. His heavy drinking and infidelity ended Mother's second marriage.

By this time my sisters and I were teenagers. I was very shy and lonely. I really missed the relationship between a male parent and child. Mother tried to fill both parental roles.

When I was thirteen, Mother married a third time to a man twelve years her junior. Although he was a good man and loved my mother very much, he was too young to be the father I longed for. Having a real father was never to be. I envied other girls who talked about their dads.

It wasn't until I was in my late fifties that I finally had a Father that loved me. I learned through Bible study that Jehovah God, the Father of Jesus, was also the Father of all mankind. He loved us enough to sacrifice His own Son's life so that we could live with Him in heaven. At last my longing was satisfied. I had a real Father to talk to and love me unconditionally.

Thank You, Father Jehovah, for loving me as Your daughter. Amen.

(c) 2012 Evelyn B, Ryan