MY DADDY LOVES ME

Betsy and I were driving to our first doctor's appointment yesterday since we found she is pregnant with our fifth child. Our three oldest children were at a summer camp and vacation bible school but we had Daniel, our 4-year-old with us. Betsy is in the first trimester and feeling every bit of that. I was reading, trying to redeem some of the time I was losing in the work day. The radio was off and the windows were down. And Daniel started singing a song. He seemed to make it up as he went along, so I guess it was a song flowing from his heart.

The lyrics went something like, "God loves my daddy. My daddy loves my and I love him. My daddy loves me and I love him." He sang this refrain numerous times and Betsy and I smiled and laughed at the cuteness of it. When you draw attention to those moments, they usually end so we kept quiet and enjoyed his singing.

I was thinking about the simple and profound reality of what was happening in that moment. I am certainly a sinful, selfish, and flawed daddy but I do love my sons. And Daniel knows the love he is loved by his daddy. He doesn't question or doubt it. He simply knows that he is loved by his dad. And that simple fact leads to a free, joyful, lightness of heart that produced a song in his heart, which in turn produced delight and gladness in the heart of his father.

Sometimes, we really complicate the truth of the gospel and the nature of our faith. You can talk apologetics, debate theological nuances, discuss ecclesiology and missiology. At the end of the day, the only thing that leads to freedom and joy is be absolutely persuaded that you are loved by the Father. If and when you are convinced of that in the deepest part of your heart, mind and soul, there will be a song in your heart that overflows in ongoing praise which in turns delights and gladdens the heart of your Father.

May we all know His love and the freedom and joy that proceeds from his affection for us. And may the song in our hearts stir others to join the chorus of "My daddy loves me and I love him" in all it's varied forms.