“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:6-7, ESV)

Here is a true story. My sixteen year old son Joshua asked his mother Marsha and I to go out to the movies one night with some friends. We agreed to let him go, but cautioned him to not be out too late. Joshua agreed to the terms and he went on his way.

It was getting late and his mother was becoming concerned about Joshua. So she called Joshua and told him to come home, but to be careful driving. Joshua apologized for being late and stated that he was on his way home. About five minutes later, Marsha received a call from Joshua, who was sobbing and scared. “I’m stuck in a ditch! I swerved to miss a deer and the back end turned and I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere! I’m scared! And my battery on the phone is low! Can you come get me?!” Marsha woke me up and I went to look for my son. She had Joshua call my cell phone to give me directions to where he was stuck.

Joshua, still very much upset and frantic, told me the beginning of the directions. Joshua was relaying to me that he was scared and very much alone; no lights or houses could be seen. And the night noises were not making him feel any better. As I got half way there, Joshua’s phone died. This was not a good thing for all involved! Joshua was now panicking! He lost total connection with me, who was keeping him calm and safe; even though I was not there with him. Joshua knew that without any connection with me, he would be totally alone in the dark and scary night.

I, being a man of faith, began to pray. I prayed for God to be God to my son and to bring the two of us safely together. I knew that if I were to find my son, I needed God to direct me towards my son! Remember, I did not have any directions to reaching my son. To me, the minutes seemed like an eternity, and to Joshua, it seemed all the more unbearable. About five minutes later, my phone rang. It was my son. All that I heard Joshua say was, “Dad, please find me!!” in a frantic voice before the phone went dead again. My heart sank all the more, but I continued to pray, “God, please be there with my son and for my son while I cannot be there. Lead me to my son!”

I continued to drive to nowhere, looking for my son. Then I felt like I should turn the car around and to drive in another direction. So I did. Soon I came to a dirt road which I felt I should go down. After turning down this road and driving about a mile, I saw a car on the side of the road with its lights on. Pulling off the road, I went to the car and found my lost son. I got out of the car and called to Joshua, “Are you alright? I’m here now! You’re safe.” Joshua got out of his car and grabbed hold of me like he has never had before and he sobbed uncontrollably! “When I lost you on the phone, I lost it! I pounded on the horn as long as I could, turned my radio up as loud as I could and screamed at the top of my lungs for someone to hear me! But there was nobody there for me! I was so scared!” I held Joshua close and gave thanks to God for delivering my son to me. Joshua said to me, “I knew you wouldn’t give up looking for me.”

How did I find my son? I went to my Father. I knew that the situation was bigger than I could handle alone, just like Joshua realized about his situation. Both Joshua and I knew their father/Father enough that they would not rest until our son was safe in our arms. Both of us knew that the only way we could find real peace was through the Father.

I told you this story to let you know one thing: Turn to the Father. Nowhere else can you find peace, safety, and unconditional love; no matter what you have done. When you are lost, call on Abba (Papa) God. Afraid? Let Him hold you close. Do not fear Him in times of trouble; allow His love to find you.

If you were to have seen me that night, you would have known the horror I felt in losing contact with my son and the thought of not being there for him just ripped my heart out! I was bound and determined to find him, and I knew I could not do this on my own. When I did finally find him, and held him in my arms, I could not tell you whose heart was beating faster; Joshua’s from fear, or mine from the joy of finding him. I now know how God feels when one of his children returns to Him.

To this day, the only way I am able to explain that night’s event is to say that God had a miracle in mind for me and my son. It brought us closer together and even closer to God. That night, Joshua found out that God is alive and does watch out for us, His children. I found out that if we are lost, the Father will help us find our way home.

Papa God,

Thank you for being our Father. Thank You for being there when no one else was there for us. Help us all to turn to You in our time of need and deliver us form those things which separate us from You. We love you with all our hearts. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen