I spent most of my summers growing up on my neighborhood swim team and going to meets every Saturday with my dad. I loved that my dad was with me at every meet. I was proud that he was one of the “Computer Guys” (their official title according to Dad). It was their job to run every heat’s race times through a chunky 1990’s Macintosh.
I didn’t really understand what he did, all I knew was that he’d be there to buy me snacks. At least once every Saturday his Speedo-clad little girl would walk her chicken legs and freckles over to him and initiate their script:
“Daddyyyyy?” I would sing.
“What-yyyy?” He’d ask.
“Will you buy me a snow cone?”
No response.
Now was the part in our script where he made it a game to see how long he could pretend to ignore me before I’d come unglued.
It was at this point in our routine that my friend’s mom captured this Daddy-Daughter ritual of ours on videotape one Saturday. My dad and I are at the top of the granite steps that lead down to the pool area. In the videotape, you see my dad in his sunglasses and neon green Shady Hollow Stingrays hat on. He’s straight ahead with his arms crossed over his chest, pretending to be unaware of the small human looking up at him with her hands latched onto his crossed arms trying very hard to get his attention. Next, you see me start to bounce in place impatiently as I sense his weakening resolve. You can see the long “Pleeeeaaase-UH??!” as it comes off my lips, with each added syllable getting its own bounce. He appears to be an unmovable force, except for the clear “I’m enjoying this” smile playing on his lips.
It was a great game that we loved to play because we both won every time. He loved watching the lengths I’d go to to ask him for things, he loved to actually give me the things and I loved for him to give me things!
It’s the same with God. He likes it when we press Him for His gifts and help. He likes it when we actually think He likes us enough to give us snow cones along with the things we actually need like love, protection and provision.
There was a time I kept hearing the phrase “press in” but I didn’t really know what it actually meant so I looked it up and found some descriptions:
“to squeeze or clasp in fondness” “to insist upon” “to carry on vigorously” “to persuade by insistent pressure”
The Best Dad in the world is waiting for us to do those things to Him.
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