Finding our true father

Earthly fathers can let us down. Our true father, however, always is there for us. Take a look at this story from p. 63 of "The Good and Beautiful God" by James Bryan Smith:

I met a pastor from England whose own story beautifully illustrates what it means to trust God as our Father. I asked Carl how he came to be a Christian. He said that when we was growing up he seldom went to church. He was very close with his dad, though. When he was 14, his father died in a tragic accident at work, which completely shattered Carl's life. To numb his pain, he started getting into a lot of fights at school and soon was abusing alcohol. But nothing seemed to work.

When Carl was 17 a friend invited him to what Carl thought was a party, complete with binge drinking, so he agreed. It was actually a 'Christian house party,' which is common in England and is more like a retreat. People go to a big home and hang out for a few days of conversation, worship and recreation. When he found out, it was too late to turn back. After the first two days he still felt bitter toward God. But during a time of worship on the final day, Sunday morning, he heard a distinct voice that said, 'I am your Father. Come to me.' Carl said he immediately began to sob, and for the first time since his father died his heart began to heal.

Thanks to that house party, Carl found his true father -- and has helped others to find the true father as well.