DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
DADDY DRAMA? | Day 18 of 40 (LENT)

Seems like everybody’s got daddy drama!
From mob-dads-gone-MIA to baby-daddy-meltdowns on Maury, daddy reputations are spiraling downward these days.

That’s why I pause today, on the day my dad was born, and thank God for a dad who’s amazingly drama-free.

If anything, his children bring the D-R-A-M-A. And his Girl-Child (moi) probably the most.

Do you see that picture above? I’m cracking up ’cause what baby knows how to strike a fierce-to-the-camera look at a few months old? Drama.

No one would’ve called me a “trouble-making” child, but I’m sure I was as sinful as the next, and I’m grateful my parents hung in there with me ’til I left home for college. Geez, did I have a strong will! I think I still do. Which is why I’m not surprised when the Lord Himself calls his children
stiff-necked and rebellious as He tries to provide for them on their journeys (Ex 32-34). We really do think we know best, don’t we?!

We’ve been gleaning from Nehemiah’s adventures over the past week.
Chapter 1, we put “First Things First“.
Chapter 2, we got “Ready for Yes“!
Chapter 4, we became 1/2 Worker – 1/2 Warrior.

Before we see what happens when Nehemiah completes the wall, let’s take a quick peak at where his success started, back at that first prayer.

Day 18:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 1: 5-11

Nehemiah asks God for success in his mission and he is granted HUGE success in his work; but it started with a broken and contrite heart. There was no stiff-neck or “child knows best”. Nehemiah humbled himself, wept and asked the God of heaven to intervene for His children.

We’ve already discussed the particulars of the prayer in a previous devotion, but today, look at how Nehemiah couches this prayer in the context of relationship. He reminds God that these are God’s children, the people of Israel. He confesses all of their sins, his sins, his father’s sins. Nehemiah goes for broke.

I’m sure Nehemiah could’ve shaken his fist at heaven and blamed God for not protecting His people and allowing their city to be ruined. But instead, Nehemiah remembers that God warned them that ruin would come if His people rebelled. Nehemiah also reminds God of His promise to redeedm, if His people turn back. Nehemiah brings God back to His covenant because He knows God to be a loving Father, first and foremost.

Fam, we can all probably look at something in our lives that’s not right and want to blame our fathers, whether they are still here or not. And if we have particularly challenging relationships with our earthly fathers, it’s really hard to navigate a healthy relationship with a heavenly father. We’re probably angry, disappointed, hurt, and/or disgusted. Our relationships with our dads seem to trickle down into how we interpret every other relationship.

No joke: daddy issues run deep.

Today, however, let’s try something different. Like Nehemiah, let’s flip the script. Instead of starting with everything that we perceive God has done wrong, let’s start from a place of contrition. Actually, we might have to start with an honest discussion with God about how we believe He has not come through for us. Our candor does not bother God. If anything, He already knows how we feel, and He’s waiting for us to see the truth, get it off our chests, and clear the channel of communication.

Do we have Daddy Drama?

If there is drama, with our earthly fathers or heavenly Father, let’s work through it. Do we need to forgive our dads for anything? Do we need to ask for their forgiveness?

Like Nehemiah, with our heavenly Father, we may need to lay out all our sins and our father’s sins and ask God to forgive all of us. The wonderful encouragement is that we know the end of the story. Nehemiah’s prayer cleared the way for an awesome outpouring of God’s favor upon his work. He wasn’t burdened down under the stress and anxiety of poor relations. He was freed up
to go before the king boldly, to lead the people boldly, to build the wall boldly.

Anybody else want to flow like that? If so, let’s do whatever it takes, Fam.
Let’s ask all daddy drama to exit stage left!

Go forth,
Naima

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Thank you for being the best dad ever! :=) Love you.

DAILY PRAYER (]LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.