RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Tears welled as I watched Dave on the playground at an Illinois church one Saturday morning. He had only been walking for a few months, and I was overwhelmed with the miracle of his life. Joy filled my heart as I contemplated the blessing God had given my wife and me.
It was not only an awe-inspiring moment, but also a very subdued one. Parenting is one of the most intimidating responsibilities anyone can ever have. As Dave ran and jumped into my arms, love flooded my soul for that little guy. Yet, I was overwhelmed with my inadequacy as a father.
When I was a small child, my dad was my hero. He coached our baseball team, taught me to play basketball and encouraged me in so many areas of life. My mom and siblings went out of town one weekend, and I stayed with him. He became extremely ill during the night. Fear and confusion collided in my ten year old heart.
Dad was hospitalized not long afterward and nearly died on several occasions. He spent most of a year away from us –– in a veteran’s hospital in a different city. Nothing was ever the same. Following that, dad was either in the hospital or very sick most of the time.
Because of dad’s sickness, it often seemed like I had a one-parent family. Mom secured a job and did her best to take care of us. I missed having dad around, and really missed his guidance. There were so many questions about life, and he wasn’t able to be there to give me guidance during those vulnerable times.
Then –– as I held my own son, I knew it was time to take leadership for my family. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know what to do or how to handle that new role in life. When Dave began playing again, I wept. “Father, I don’t know what to do or how to be a good dad. I want to be the kind of father he needs, but I don’t know how. Oh, Father….”
The moment I said, “Oh, Father” my heart was stilled, and I felt the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The answer came as I prayed. God is my Father. He’s my example. Somehow, I knew if I looked to Him, He would show me how to be the father I needed to be. Because He is my Father, I had an example to show me how to be the kind of dad I wanted to be.
I sensed His Spirit breathing words into my soul. “Look to Me. Love Dave as I have loved you. Counsel him as I have counseled you. Discipline him the way I discipline you. I am your Father. I am your example.”
There was nothing spectacular that took place on that playground that day. But, it was one of the great moments of growth in my life. It was a time in which I learned the greatest truth about parenting that I would ever come to know. I learned to look to God as my Father. I began a life-long journey of trying to be like Him. I’ve not always been successful, but I have the master plan. I just keep applying the plan. The beauty of this great truth is that our Father is a God of grace as well as truth. When I fail, He picks me up and shows me the way. He truly is “our Father.” My prayer is that I would be like Him.