By Margaret C. Mullings

Webster's Dictionary definition of Deferred: 1. Postponed. 2. Having the rights, interest. etc. withheld until a certain date.

"Mommy, when is daddy coming home? What is my daddy's name? Mommy, I want my daddy, I miss him!."

Sadly in many cases the reply. "That no good lying pa of yours is never coming home!

Don't you ever ask me another question about your pa. When you grow up you can go and look for him."

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. While there are many good fathers, who take care of their children, and are always there for them. There are still too many fathers who are missing from the rearing of their sons and daughters. In some cases this is beyond their control. For there are some mothers who are vindictive (unforgiving) and deny fathers from seeing their children. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth this must stop. Pause for a moment and think about this. There is a cry throughout the land and indeed the world. Can you hear it? Your reply may be. Hear what? Gunshots, gang violence, rape, burglaries, murder, you name it and it is happening among our young men and women, the young men are especially angry. Most of these young men and women grew up without having a daddy to call their own. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Their hearts are sick with hurt, pain, and anger coupled with the grief of rejection.

The love and affirmation has been withheld from them. It really really hurts not to have a daddy to call your own, to nurture and teach you the way. Daddy's Little Girl is a reminder of the hurt and pain. Daddy's little girl looks with great expectancy for her daddy to return home with eagerness and happiness within. Days turned into weeks, and months become years.

Daddy's little girl is crushed within.

No one knows the pain and agony she bears, not even her mother is aware.

Crying herself to sleep night after night, her pillow drenched in tears, it seemed that morning took too long to break forth.

Asking questions about her father's whereabouts only brought more hurt and pain.

Daddy's little girl accepts the fact that daddy is never coming home.

With pain in her heart and a void that only daddy could fill, daddy's little girl grows and blossoms into a beautiful young woman.

Yet on the inside, she is still daddy's little girl and she purposes to seek out and find her precious daddy, and to find her true identity.

The search proves fruitless and daddy's little girl now feels even more hurt and pain.

Daddy's little girl has an encounter with God and on that experience, it changed her life forever.

She experiences God as her Abba Father and receives His acceptance of her being, feeling His warmth and love for her as a daughter.

The word becomes life to her in 2 Corinthians 7:18

"I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Further, daddy's little girl experiences the fatherhood of God as her nourisher and protector, and daddy's little girl learns that God is a Father to all, especially the fatherless.

The realization then sets in, that in her heart lurks, not only pain and agony, but also anger and bitterness with unforgiveness towards the daddy that never came home.

However, with the loving relationship of her Heavenly Father, daddy's little girl confesses these sins and with a repentant heart, releases daddy to her Abba Father.

Now the pain is gone and daddy's little girl prays for reconciliation, with a deep longing to meet her daddy for the first time in her life.

Abba Father hears and answers prayers.

Sure enough a few weeks later, miraculously daddy's little girl is united with her biological father.

Embracing her for the first time, he calls her his little girl.

Every boy and girl needs the love of a father.

Please do not deny your sons and daughters of your presence with them.

May Abba Father strengthen men everywhere, giving each one wisdom and courage to father their children, in spite of the circumstances that may surround them.

On this Father's Day I salute fathers everywhere. Happy Father's Day especially to the many fathers who are referred to as "step fathers" The step should be taken away because you are fathers who really make a difference in the children's lives. I salute you! To the fathers who are not allowed to see your children. It is my prayer that Yahweh, the God who redeems will divinely intervene on your behalf. To the fathers who are deliberately missing from their children's lives. I pray Yahweh will move upon your hearts with His Agape Love to bring reconciliation with your children! Mamas. It is my prayer for Yahweh to heal you everywhere you are hurting, and that He will restore all that was stolen from you. So much so, you will have the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ; and experience His healing balm bringing healing to you and your children. Making room for daddy to spend not only this Father's Day with his children, but each day to be a part of their lives!

My heart became full as I reflected on Father's Day waiting for inspiration to write. The aforementioned poem kept on coming up each time. Question is. Could this be because there is a cry gone up to Abba Father of children crying out for their fathers? Boys and girls really need the love and presence of their father! How long will hope be deferred making the heart of boys and girls sick? Pause and calmly think about this. Much Love, and have a wonderful Father's Day!