Protective Father

The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt. And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now, he has brought you to this place.

Deuteronomy 1:30-31

One of my favorite stories about my Dad happened when I was about eight years old. We were skiing at Berthoud Ski Area (which no longer exists), and it was the last run of a very windy, stormy day. My Dad and I got on the chairlift that went up the face of a huge mountain. All of a sudden, the chair stopped at the crown of the peak. We hung there suspended in space, swinging back and forth as the gusts of wind and frozen temperatures encompassed us. My Dad opened his coat for me to cuddle next to him and keep warm. I could tell Dad was very concerned. Time went by…more time went by…and it became apparent we were forgotten. The chair lift was closed down. We couldn’t jump. We were stuck. Finally, a ski patrolman was taking his last run of the day when he saw us. He yelled, “Don’t worry! I’ll get you down.”  What a relief when the chairlift started up again, and we made it to the top of the mountain. For me as a little girl….I was safe in my father’s care, warmth, and embrace through it all.  

Years later I went to a Stacie Eldridge conference in Winter Park. (Stacie is the wife of John Eldridge, who wrote Wild at Heart.) I drove by that old ski area, which is now abandoned, and I remembered that day. At the conference, I went to the coffee shop to journal. I was dealing with some significant issues that needed healing. I finished my journaling and looked up and saw a silhouette picture of a chairlift with “3” people sitting on it. Under the picture was the word “UNLOAD.” My Dad and I were not alone that day we were in the storm. Our Heavenly Father was there with us. There were 3 in that chairlift. More than 50 years later, God was telling me to UNLOAD all my cares in the place where my Dad held me in the storm. I unloaded and surrendered it all and received from my Heavenly Father. Almighty Father protects us, just like He did for the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land. We can cuddle close to Him, knowing that we are safe in His presence.  

This week, when you face a challenging situation, remember that you live in the Father’s protection. Let your first reaction be to run to Him for security…I am writing this to remind myself to go to my Father in Heaven first!