DADDY SAYS…
DADDY SAYS…
Imagine a young girl preparing to travel abroad.
Her father helps her get everything ready and tells her what she will need for her visa interview.
On the appointed day, she arrives at the embassy and sits before the visa officer.
He begins to ask her questions.
At some point, he asks about something she hasn’t brought with her. Her response is simple. “Daddy said I wouldn’t need it.”
Another question follows.
Again, she answers with complete confidence in what her father had told her. “Daddy says…”
And she remains calm. No panic. No suddenly wondering whether Daddy knew what he was talking about.
No frantic attempt to change her story because the person sitting across the desk appeared to know better.
Daddy had told her.
And she believed Daddy.
I heard a similar story many years ago, and although I no longer remember all the details, one thing has stayed with me:
A young person’s absolute confidence in what her father had said.
And it makes me wonder.
Do I have that kind of confidence in my Father? Honestly… I am not sure. I still get anxious when I can’t see what is ahead.
The Bible says:
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee…” Isaiah 41:10 KJV
Daddy says, “Fear not.”
Yet we fear.
Daddy says, “I am with you.”
Yet we wonder whether we are going through the situation alone.
Daddy says, “I will help you.”
Yet we lie awake trying to work out where the help will come from.
We pray. We quote the Scriptures. We say Amen.
And then we go to Google—looking for a second, third and fourth opinion on what Daddy has already said.
Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking information. There is nothing wrong with asking questions, getting professional advice or trying to understand what is happening around us.
But perhaps the question is:
What or Who has the final word in our hearts?
Because sometimes the more information we gather, the more frightened we become.
The report says one thing.
The circumstances say another.
Our feelings have their own opinion.
People around us have plenty to say too.
And somewhere beneath all those voices is the quiet voice of God saying:
“Fear not. I am with you.”
Which voice carries the greatest weight?
Perhaps our struggle is not always that we don’t have enough faith.
Perhaps sometimes we simply lose sight of who our Father is.
Isaiah asks:
“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand…” Isaiah 40:12 KJV
Think about that.
The waters of the earth.
The oceans.
The seas.
The rivers.
All measured in the hollow of His hand.
And that is my Daddy who measures the waters in the hollow of His hand!
The thing before me may be bigger than me.
It may be beyond my understanding.
I may have absolutely no idea how it will work out.
But it can NEVER be bigger than my Daddy.
And perhaps that is where confidence begins.
Not in knowing how everything will turn out.
Not in having every question answered.
Not in being able to see what God is doing.
But in knowing who He is.
A little child does not necessarily understand her father’s reasoning.
She simply knows her father.
And because she knows Him, His words carry weight.
Daddy said it.
That settles something inside her.
Proverbs tells us:
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 KJV
Notice that it doesn’t say, Trust Him when you understand because sometimes we won’t.
Sometimes what we see will not make sense.
Sometimes what we hear will frighten us.
Sometimes we will have questions for which we cannot immediately find answers.
But our confidence was never supposed to rest in our understanding.
Our confidence should rest in our Father.
Dear friend, what has our Daddy said?
Let us go back to His Word.
Let us go back to what He has spoken.
Let us go back to what we know about His character.
And when fear begins asking its questions, when circumstances start presenting their evidence, and when our own understanding cannot quite work things out, let us remember who our Daddy is. He is the One who says:
“Fear not.”
“I am with you.”
“I will strengthen you.”
“I will help you.”
And perhaps, sometimes, that is simply enough.
Daddy says…
And I believe my Daddy completely.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©