Dad's Shoulders

I was at the pool one day while on vacation and I watched a dad with his two-year-old son. The son was on his dad’s shoulders in the pool and the dad was bobbing up and down in the water. The look of shear delight on the son’s face said it all. However, if the son was bobbing up and down in the water by himself, this wouldn’t have been nearly as fun – and it would have been terrifying if the bobbing wasn’t controlled.

Water can be a lot of fun but also very, very dangerous – especially for one so young. But when the son was attached to his father, there was no fear, even in a potentially very dangerous place.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

We are all the “sons” (and daughters) and God is the Father. If we are attached to Him, there is nothing that can harm us – even in a very dangerous place. But if we are detached from God, then there is fear and there is danger.

We never outgrow our need for God our Father. There comes a time in every boy and girl’s life that we no longer can be on our dad’s shoulders. We get too old, or too big, or dad is no longer there. Life get’s scary for just that reason. When I left home for the first time, I was scared. I went away to college when I was 19 and I was scared because my dad and mom wouldn’t be there like they were before. Thankfully, they are still around for me and my family. I get to see them regularly and talk to them nearly every day. But I can’t get on my dad’s shoulders and bob up and down in the pool. I’m too big, too old. I miss those days of care-free and no fear with my dad.

But I still have them with my heavenly Father. He is always with me and I can never out-grow Him or His love. I’m still “on His shoulders” and I don’t have to fear anything in this world. I still do, but I don’t have to. When I am afraid, it isn’t because God isn’t there. It’s because I’m trying to get off His shoulders and bob in the pool by myself.

©2008 True Men Ministries.