Praying Grace for WomenChikamu

Wild, Confident Abandon

Our oldest daughter, now a mother of four, has crossed the milestone age of 30. But she still calls me “Daddy” and I love that. It takes me back to those days when our girls were little, utterly un-self-conscious, and therefore, hilarious—a source of endless delight and entertainment.

There was a brief season of time when she was around three in which I’d settled into a small, rented office in a modest little building. The offices were all arranged on either side of a long central hallway. Mine was located near the end of the hallway, toward the back of the building.

Those were lean, hard times for us financially. So, the best parts of the best days would be the times my wife would bring the girls up for a surprise visit to my drab, spartan little workspace. I would hear the chime that indicated someone had opened the front door of the building, quickly followed by the rising sound of stumpy sneakered feet hitting carpet at a full gallop down the hallway. A few seconds later, my oldest would burst through my doorway with a giant smile, a giddy “Hi Daddy!” and body language that shouted, “I’m here! Isn’t it wonderful!?”

And it was. Oh, how it was. My sincere response was always one of delighted welcome. Outstretched arms. A hug. A gathering into the lap. A breathless request for the latest news from her world.

The one charging down that hallway was too young and unaware to have ever once considered that I might be on an important phone call, or in a bad mood, or upset at her for some act of disobedience I’d heard about earlier in the day. Those things never entered her mind. Nor should they have. No, she approached with wild, confident abandon—and usually with a request ready on her lips. “Can we go get pizza tonight? Mommy, said it’s up to you.”

There is a thoroughly biblical, immensely powerful secret to effective prayer hidden in those treasured little moments with my first-born. The best, most appropriate approach to your heavenly Father looks very much like my daughter’s approach to me.

God spent thousands of years preparing to put a second-and-final “Adam” into the earth. Having done so, He allowed His sinless Son to have all of humanity’s sin and shame laid upon Him as our substitute and sacrifice. He did all of this and more for one reason; to restore you and me to Him. To build a bridge back to His lap. Fly to Him daughter. I promise, He will be delighted to see you.

Prayer of Declaration:

Father, You are not grumpy. I’m not an interruption. You’re not too busy. You’ve been hoping I’d visit. I have things to tell You. But I know You have things to tell me, too. Wisdom and guidance to share. Gifts to impart. But above all, You moved heaven and earth simply so we could enjoy each other again. So here I come!