My New God

I miss my daddy. I miss his unshaven face. I miss his less than Colgate fresh breath. I miss the way you could tell that he hadn’t showered by the way his hair looked. I miss how happy he was to see me, no matter what kind of day he had. I miss most everything about him. Dad got homesick and went to be with Jesus a few years ago. He died doing what he loved to do most…eating.

My perception of God has changed lately. Maybe it’s the longing for my own dad again. I don’t know. But, it seems like this God is better than the one I grew up with.

A simple knock on His screen door ushers me into His presence. This one has a favorite recliner. My new God’s feet have slippers on, not some royal wooden shoes with a royal emblem on them. My new God’s face is a little unshaven. His skin dark with wrinkles. Perhaps the wrinkles come from pacing the porch of Heaven, squinting to see which of His children will come over the horizon next.

I no longer have to sit beside Him, but He calls me to crawl up on His lap. He holds me so close that I can feel His breath on the top of my head. For the first time, I am so close I can feel his heart beat through His flannel shirt. We don’t even always have to talk. Sometimes we just hang out and rock. It feels secure here. As a matter of fact, there is no place I would rather be…in the arms of my Abba who loves me unconditionally. He loves me for who I am, not who I should be.

After dad died, I was overwhelmed by things would come up that would remind me of him. I remember hugging my uncle with his unshaven face, and less than fresh breath. I could have stayed there for a while. It probably would have freaked him out, but it felt very comfortable.

The more I get to know my new God, the more homesick I get. I love Him a lot. I can’t wait to meet Him, but until then, I’ve got three little boys that need to feel their father’s unshaven face, sense his breath on the top of their heads and smell his less than fresh breath.

Take a chance. Get out of your chair and crawl on up. Your new God is waiting.