I once read a novel about a modern day prophet and what God taught him through his travels. There was one experience that this man had that hit me hard. The prophet was in a small village in Turkey and God told him just to sit and watch, don’t intervene.

A few minutes later a little girl screamed and the prophet turned to look and saw this little girl cowering in front of what was obviously a rabid dog. The dog was foaming at the mouth, very lean, and obviously ready to lunge angrily at this little girl. The village people lined up behind the dog trying to figure out how to help this little girl but the dog was between them.

All of a sudden a young man comes running through the crowd screaming the little girl’s name and lunges at the dog. The prophet watched in amazement bc he had never seen such ferociousness in a human before. It was a fight to the death between the man and the dog. The young man won but he was covered in blood – his and the dogs and incredibly wounded. The little girl lunges for the man but the villagers stop her and carefully take them both away to help the young man attend to his wounds. The prophet turns toward another village standing near him and asks “who was that man? Why did he do that?” The villager has one answer “bc he is the father of that little girl. He is the father.”

The Lord goes on to speak to the prophet – He (God) allows terrible things to happen to His people not bc He’s throwing a temper tantrum or bc He’s being immaturely jealous. But bc He is desperately in love with His people and it is His love which compels Him to destroy anything that stands between Him and the one that He loves. Bc He is our Father.

I don’t know what God has in store for anyone, much less myself. But never forget – He is your Father and He loves you deeply and desperately.