Father Heart

8th July 2015

Last night I watched by teenage daughter make her first public piano performance on a grand piano in front of a large audience. She played Nuvole Bianche by Ludovico Einaudi. Beforehand she was very nervous so I prayed that it would go well and it did. When she finished playing she got a huge round of applause and after the show people kept coming up to her and congratulating her. As I took her home she told me that the applause and congratulations had greatly encouraged her in her quest to follow a musical career. She said that if it had gone badly it would have had the opposite effect. But it hadn’t, and now she’s got the confidence to go on performing.

As a father I also found the whole experience immensely encouraging. In fact, seeing her hard work blossom like that was exhilarating. Last night was one of the best experiences of my life. As a father, nothing gives me greater fulfilment than to see my children grow. I’ve always seen my role as providing the right environment in which my children can grow. I’ve tried to give them the freedom and opportunity to discover the talents that God has given them and provide them with the means of developing their talents. And last night was one of a number of experiences in which I have seen that father heart bear fruit.

As Christians, we too have a father and like any good father he delights in seeing us grow. He provides us with security, assurance, resources and gifts. He calls us, directs us and nurtures us. He teaches us to walk on the right path and his heart bursts with joy as he sees the fruits of his work grow and mature in our lives. Praise God.