I will admit, I have struggled with being the father of adult children. Fathers Day has taken on new emotions and struggles for a Dad of grown children who has younger children at home. I suspect that in time, as fewer of my children are at home these emotions will grow even stronger. I miss my children. That seems an understatement. I do not merely miss them I long for them, yearn for them to be with me. This is not simply a Father’s Day feeling, I miss them daily, I wish they had more time for me and their mother. This is a fierce dichotomy living inside most, each and every parent, the strong desire to see your children on their own, making a life for themselves, raising a family, succeeding in life, and following after Christ seems to war with the desire to have them in your presence, sharing life with you, seeking words of wisdom and guidance as they make decisions, desiring for your presence as much as you desire theirs.
I remember the days when my children would run and jump in my lap. The days when the moment I walked through the door they would run up and hug my leg, the days when this became dangerous to me as they got bigger, the days when it began to wane, and the days when it was gone.
Dichotomy. Two warring sides of emotion. 
As I thought over this yesterday I was reminded of James chapter 4. While not in the same context, it speaks to God’s yearning and jealousy over us vs our relationship with the world. James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”
As an earthly Father who often doesn’t get it quite right still loves and yearns for the presence of his children, How much more do you think the Father yearns with jealousy over you and longs for your presence. Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God as the previous verse in James states. Your prioritization of relationships matters to God. Relationships with things, activities, and people, all of whom can if we are not careful overtake our schedule, our time, and our hearts where we simply don’t have room for being with one whom we once called Abba. One who we once loved to be with. His jealous longing is for you to pursue His presence over the worldly en-trappings of our desires. We find ourselves so busy that we oft can’t find time to pray, our summer schedules oft take us to many things rather than the corporate worship of our Lord. Even other relationships that are significant in our lives take precedent over spending time with our Father.
God too remembers the days when you used to run into His presence, God too remembers when that began to wane, and God too remembers when it was gone. God longs for more than just a Fathers Day text, Facebook, or Instagram message. He longs for you to spend time with Him.
Gary Wiens, in his book “Come to Papa” says this: “We are created to live and move in Him (Father God), and to have our existence in Him. We cannot exist on our own and if we are not rooted and grounded in His love we will find substituent sources in which to plug into to the ruination of our souls.” Sounds a lot like what can happen when we constantly fill our lives with the longings of the things of this world devoid of pursuit of His presence daily. Gary takes part of this theme in his book from Acts chapter 17 verse 28: “in Him we live and move and have our being.” It is only in Him, living in His presence that we can truly live fully. It is only living in His presence that we find our place in this life.
He yearns for you to be in His presence. He Longs to talk with you. And he waits patiently and tenderly for you to come to him. This is the heart of the Father for you today, would you not keep Him waiting? Would you seek him out?
Yesterday was the earthly Father’s Day, a once-a-year opportunity to make dear old dad happy. Every day is Father’s Day to our Lord and He waits every day for you.