On His Shoulders
Three months after I was born, we moved to Hawaii. My father was an officer in the military stationed there, but my family enjoyed the beauty of the island while he served in Vietnam. I’m sure it was a challenging time for my mother, missing her husband and taking care of three children, but the sunshine and nature’s playground were a blessing to a Pennsylvania native. When I took my first steps, there were few concerns about me falling into the soft, warm beach sand. Seashells, buckets, and shovels littered our yard and chasing seagulls was a favorite pastime. Today when I visit the beach, I smell the salty water, hear the far-off rhythmical waves, feel the hot sun on my face and consider it all a welcome home.
Unfortunately, my father wasn’t home much when we lived in Hawaii. When he came home on furlough, he was a frightening stranger to me until he scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the beach. There he placed me on his muscular shoulders, and I felt at least ten feet high. His strong hands held my ankles firmly while my small arms wrapped around his head, clinging tighter as we drew closer to the water. He waded in slowly until the water covered his waist, waiting for the next big wave. I screamed with excitement when I saw it coming. My father shouted in anticipation, “One, two, three!” He disappeared under the wave and my legs felt the warm water crash against them with splashes all over my chest, shoulders, and face. It was truly scary, but delightful and it created a memory I hold dear to this day. Best of all, it created a bond with my father that I desperately needed at that age. As the years went by, I entered the rebellious years of adolescence and became a fiercely independent young adult. Our relationship was difficult and barely survived. Fortunately, when I became a mother, my perspective on parenting changed. Respect and appreciation for my dad grew. Today, I actually listen to his advice, and our love for one another is expressed in our weekly phone conversations. My dad is someone I trust.
It’s hard to find people that are trustworthy these days. It takes time and work to truly trust someone, especially when you’ve been wounded before. One thing is certain; those we trust will hurt us and disappoint us. In Psalm 118:8 the Bible says “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” That Scripture doesn’t mean we can’t trust anyone but God, but it does mean that ultimately, our full trust and confidence must be in God and His love for us. In unstable times, when we are unsure of what the future holds, we must trust His Word of truth. His promise in Romans 8:28 proclaims, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” When fear rises, our hearts must do a u-turn and choose to trust God, as did King David in Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”
My father is trustworthy and a man of integrity. Even so, I shared my favorite memory of my time on his shoulders in Hawaii with him, and I was surprised at his response. “I guess that was courageous of me since I don’t even know how to swim,” he remarked. “What?” I gasped, shocked that he risked his life and mine to build a father-daughter bond. My solid rock trust in my dad became unsteady as I contemplated the foolishness of such a risk, but the loving motivation behind his act reinforced my confidence in his love for me.
All of the trust earned and given to man here on earth totally pales in comparison to what is due our Heavenly Father. His love for us is unconditional and never ending; His faithfulness reaches to the heavens. Perhaps if we truly believed that, then we would trust Him more. We don’t know what the days ahead hold for any of us, but we do know the One who fashioned them for us when there were none of them. With a growing pandemic and division in our country, your world may seem unstable. Will you place your full confidence in God and allow Him to carry you?
