Think about all the dad’s you’ve known over the years.  Some are better dads than others.  Picture on one side of the room someone you know is a warm-hearted dad.  He’s caring and compassionate, and although he knows how to give guidance and discipline, he would do anything to care for his child.  Now picture on the other side of the room a cold-hearted dad.  He’s harsh, unrelenting and thinks only of his own needs and not his child’s.

In front of each dad, picture a 10 year old boy holding something in his hand.  Suddenly, you see both dads snatch the thing out of the child’s hand. You don’t know what the object is but you begin to wonder “Why?  Why was something snatched from the child?”  All you have to go on is the character of each dad.  You know the warm-hearted dad would have only taken the object if it was the right thing to do.  Whereas the cold-hearted dad may take the object for selfish reasons. The one thing you know for sure, no one likes to have things snatched away from them.

There are times, in each of our lives, when we feel our Heavenly Father has allowed something precious to be snatched out of our hands.  A job, a promotion, your health, your home or even the life of a loved one.  One moment this precious thing is securely in your hands and the next it is gone.  You don’t know why it’s gone…you may never know why.  As you stand there with your hands empty, it’s natural to look up at your Heavenly Father who allowed it to be snatched away.  My question is “What type of Father do you see?”

Is God a warm-hearted dad showing His love and concern for you or do you see a cold-hearted dad acting in your life selfishly?  Too often our empty hands tempt us to see God as cold-hearted but it’s not true.  Your mind might think God’s abandoned you, punished you or even forgotten you.  None of these thoughts are true.  God’s heart is so opened to you that He hurts when you hurt.  He wants to be with you in the midst of your pain.

1Peter 5:10 speaks of how God responds to our empty hands:  “And the God of all grace… after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”  God knows you are suffering, He knows you are in pain.  That’s why He, Himself, will restore you.  That’s right, your Heavenly Father will restore you. 

So when your hands are empty, and you want to know which type of dad is your Heavenly Father, look for the dad that’s on His knees, wrapping you and your empty hands into His loving arms.  For God Himself will restore you.  It’s just what you need.  Sweet, sweet, restoration.