We have had two bereavements in our own family circle recently.  One a very close family friend, the other a very close relative.  One a complete shock.  The other more expected. Both were dearly loved dads.  We are mourning them both and miss them very much.

How wonderfully redemptive of Father God, then, to cause my path to cross subsequently with two different people whose hearts have been broken through the death of a dad. Grief caused them to turn away from God but now, here they were, close up and personal to Abba’s tender kindness.

The first of these two I will call “Kieran”, a young man in his early thirties who was fundraising in a city centre.  After stopping and chatting a while, he remarked on my “special aura” of calm and joyfulness..  When I shared that it was all because I am a “Jesus girl”, he quickly replied “Oh, I don’t have any belief in God.  No, no.  Not with how my dad died”.  The loss of his father had hit him very hard some years ago.  There were other personal things that had gone on to bring Kieran low in life and which he saw as further proof that there cannot be a God. 

I didn’t try to convince him but just listened, telling him how sorry I was for all the tough things he has had to go through and how honoured I was that he would share them with me.  Kieran then looked at me and said “Well, go on, then.  You can pray for me if you like”. When I realised that he meant there and then, I did exactly as he asked.   As I invited the Heavenly Father to embrace Kieran in His accepting, forgiving, cocooning Love, I could hear Kieran softly “hmmm” in agreement and sometimes lightly chuckle when I asked Jesus to turn around certain practical situations that Kieran had specifically mentioned.  I don’t think he had a grid for God being able to help in the smaller details of life!  But it was clear that Kieran was listening to every single word. 

I also prayed realignment over his spinal column which I sensed was a cause of back trouble for him, something Kieran confirmed.  It was undramatic and gentle, but he kindness of God was very tangible in those moments.   Kieran hugged me at the end and, before leaving, I directed him to this blog – he may even be reading it now!  He said he wanted to.

Please remember this dear young man in your prayers and thank God with me for opening Kieran’s heart to the One who is Love, the Father who waits with open arms to embrace every wandering son or daughter and welcome them Home as His own.

The other gentleman who needed God’s healing touch to his grief-hurt heart was a workman, working at a neighbour’s home.  I’ll call him Ricky.  I’ve met Ricky before – a ‘salt of the earth’ kind of guy, often joking but then tells it like it is.  Somehow our conversation got onto health issues and Ricky told me about his ageing Mum and the serious health complications she is currently facing in hospital, including recently contracting Covid.  I asked his Mum’s name, with the promise that I would pray for her.  He was grateful and told me her name but then quickly added “I can’t believe in God anymore.  Just can’t.  Not since the death of my Dad.”.  Ricky then welled up and had to turn away. 

His dad was obviously very close to him when he had died several years earlier and the wound still cut deep. In giving Ricky space to talk about his pain, it surfaced and God was there, loving Ricky even as he expressed his anger and unbelief.  Ricky knew something was happening but didn’t understand it or why he was so emotional.  “Look what you’ve done”! he joked at me.  But I knew Ricky was realising, there on that driveway, that love and kindness had unexpectedly come into the middle of his working day.  A perplexing love beyond himself, coming through a relative stranger who followed this God he had declared to be non-existent, but was now experiencing as very present. 

Please join me in praying for Ricky to open his heart to the Heavenly Father a little more each time, as Abba pursues him relentlessly with His love.