Dad's Promise

A Weekend Read: Sunday February 5 2012 

  

 My Dad’s Promise: 

   By Adena Paget

When my Dad made a promise, he always kept it! I am trying to be the same.   Can you remember promising something that you couldn’t follow up on or making  a promise that you did not keep?  Have you ever stopped to think what a difference it really makes?

When I was about 11 years old, my Dad told me about a fellow he worked with who had a motor scooter he wanted to sell and my Dad wondered if I would like it.  Would I?  Being the tomboy type of kid I was, of course I wanted it! I guess the circumstances warranted my being a “bit” spoiled”.  My Mother died the day before my eleventh birthday and my Dad, in his grief and empathy towards me, thought it would be okay to “spoil” me just a little. So from time to time, I received gifts like this motor scooter. 

Well, I waited and waited, it seemed for months, for my Dad to bring home this much-anticipated machine.  At first, of course, I continually bugged him about it and became quite bratty and demanding about his promise.  I guess, my Dad realized that he was actually contributing to my change of attitude and soon told me I would not be getting the motor scooter!  Well!  I became quite indignant and started to sulk and pout.  My  Dad didn’t say much but as time passed, I knew I had blown it!  I was not getting my scooter!  I’m sure I accused him of being a lot of things he wasn’t but he never budged!

One day, he came to talk to me, seriously.  He told me how I had let him down by acting spoiled and insensitive to his generosity.  He also told me how difficult it was for him to be alone and how he needed my understanding to help him through these lonely days.  He told me it was a rough road for all of us and it was impossible to bring my Mom back and we had to trust the Lord to bring us through this terrible trial.  I can never remember feeling such empathy and shame as I did at that time. He prayed with me and we asked forgiveness and I knew I was forgiven not only by my earthly Father but I knew my Heavenly Father also had forgiven me.  I think, it was the disappointment I brought to him that affected me most and the fact that I had hurt him by only thinking of myself. The behavior I displayed was unusual for me and I suppose I could justify it because of the circumstances, but in reality, it was against my personality and downright selfish!

Several weeks later while playing in our front yard, I heard the sound of a small motored machine putt-putting into our driveway and there was my Dad looking ridiculous riding on this little machine which was built for 11 year olds.  What a Guy! 

I enjoyed many rides around the neighbourhood on this quaint little machine, which always seemed to need spark plugs or pistons or oil or gas. After several months, I realized it was more trouble than it was worth so I sold it. 

The lesson I learned has remained with me and I often think about our heavenly Father and the promises that are in his Holy Book. He knows exactly when to grant our requests and when and how to answer our prayers, even though they are not always what we want or exactly what we ask for, there is no question that He keeps his promises to us.  He is such a faithful God, unchanging and ageless and true to every one of the promises.  What an awesome Saviour we serve!