On June 21, 2020 Father’s Day was celebrated in my country. If you know me, you know that my father and I share a very special bond. He is my world, my everything, and I love him with every fibre in my being.
Leading up to Father’s Day, I thought long and hard about how I would celebrate my dad and fete him. Restrictions due to Covid-19 were still in place and consequently many options were removed from my consideration. It is usual for me to take my dad out to a fancy restaurant, on some excursion or to lavish him with gifts, but for this year I knew things would be different.
After much consideration, I finally decided that since I can’t take him to a fancy restaurant, I would take a fancy restaurant to him; and so it was determined that I would have his favourite dish catered by his favourite chef. No sooner had I decided, I was confronted with another thought- why not prepare a nice fare for dad yourself? I was up for the task and so it was decided, I would prepare for my dad the finest Father’s Day dinner ever.
The day finally came, I rose early and immediately started on the meal (I had quite a few things to cook plus fruit juice to make). I excitedly called my dad and advised him to come for dinner at my place at 4:00 p.m. To my surprise at 3:00 p.m. I saw my front door open and in walks my dad, all dressed up and high spirited. I reminded him that dinner was scheduled for 4:00 p.m., expressed that he was early, and that dinner wasn’t quite ready as yet. He merely smiled and said that’s fine, he just really wanted to get here.
THE BEST FATHER’S DAY EVER
The hour passed quickly and soon I escorted my dad to a well-set table with his favourite meal. It was just me and him. We ate, we laughed, and we spoke about many things. We even took a stroll down memory lane and made a few stops at moments in my childhood. I was happy, but most of all he was happy. I could tell from the look on his face. I then asked him, “daddy, how did you enjoy your Father’s Day?”. He looked at me, paused for a moment, smiled from his heart and said, “this is the best Father’s Day I’ve ever had!”.
His response shocked me!!! What do you mean “the best”? I thought to myself. I then recalled the many Father’s Days I’ve taken him to fancy restaurants, the many Father’s Days I’ve given him awesome gifts and more. How then could this be the best? I didn’t even take him out! Then it dawned on me, this is the first Father’s Day that I prepared the meal for him myself, brought him into my space (no big restaurant or fancy location) and it was just me and him sharing quality time. No one else was present-just us. I looked at my dad and I started to cry. This is what he had wanted all along.
QUALITY TIME WITH HIS CHILDREN
So, it hit me like a ton of bricks! This is also what our Heavenly Father wants- Quality Time with His Children.
Matthew Chapter 6 verses 5 and 6, instructs us that: “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Praying to our Father in private certainly engenders intimacy between ourselves and Him and serve to build our relationship. One on one time with God our Father is clearly encouraged in the scripture and it is quite clear that when His children make the effort to spend quality time with God our Father it pleases Him. Just as the one on one quality time with my earthly father meant the world to him.
Jesus perfectly modelled and exemplified true intimacy with the Father. He showed us what quality time with God looks like. Mark Chapter 1 verse 35 illustrates that “before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” Also, in Luke Chapter 5 verse 16 it is said that “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” and in Luke Chapter 6 verse 12, we learn that “one day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.”
From the above scriptures, we see that Jesus was always in a quiet and secluded place communing with God the Father. It was just Jesus and the Father in a quiet place, far from the madding crowd. Jesus didn’t just withdraw to a quiet place to be with the Lord, but He also spent significant time there in His presence. Indeed, we see in Luke Chapter 6 verse 12, that Jesus was alone with God the Father all night.
DRAW NEAR TO GOD
James Chapter 4 verse 8, reminds us to “draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. The more we seek the Lord, is the more we will find Him. Our Heavenly Father yearns to spend time with us and to be close to us. All we need to do is take that step towards Him. My earthly father was so eager to spend time with me that he even showed up and hour earlier than the scheduled time. If my earthly father can show such eagerness and excitement to spend time with me, then consider how much more will God our Father be eager and excited to commune with us. I imagine that our Abba Father is already in our space waiting patiently everyday for us to come to Him in prayer and by meditating on His word.
As we go through our daily lives, let us resolve to draw closer to God so that He will draw closer to us.
Tamara Dickens is a member of the Transformed Life Church in Jamaica where she serves in the Prayer and Production Ministries, and as a Life Group Leader. Tamara is passionate about teaching and sharing the word of God. It is Tamara's hope that all will come into the revelation and knowledge of God and His unwavering love for us.