Semper Fidelis...

Everyone recognizes this as the signature phrase of the Marine Corp. Semper Fidelis. It means "Forever Faithful". Faithful to the Corp and it's beliefs and code of conduct. Faithful to other members of the Corp.
It's also a call to action for dads, and today I was reminded in a way I'd rather not be...
I got a frantic phone call at 5:20pm from my ex wife. "Do you have Morgan?" she asked. "No!...I'm not supposed to!" I replied. "Oh my God" was her panicked response. She was missing. Long and short of it...I raced downstairs to my car, went screaming out of the parking lot with tears already beginning to flow. Begging God to protect my daughter and remembering suddenly, all the countless thousands of prayers I have uttered in her behalf. Prayers for protection and prayers applying the blood of Jesus to her. I stand on this verse daily in Morgan's behalf: Rev 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the Word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul even until death. In a minute or two I was suddenly sensing God's presence in that car with me and while I was scared witless, I knew I had prayed and been her defender and warrior. I had the presence of mind to make a quick call to my friend Creig and he was ready to meet me and help. I told him to pray. It was a seemingly endless five minutes later when Holly called me and told me she found her, and it was all a miscommunication. She had planned on going to her friends house after school but Holly had forgotten to give her a note allowing her to ride the bus and the school wouldn't let her. So she had gone next door to the library to and called Holly's husband and was waiting for him to pick him up. (He never told Holly about the call and so that's where the communication breakdown came in) It was a few more minutes until my heart rate slowed to normal. It's the worst feeling in the world...except, I'm sure, that feeling when you get bad news and it's definite. I was thankful that I've been consistent in my prayers for Morgan. There is so very much about this world I can't help or can't see coming. That's where Jesus blood comes in. It's power is limitless and I don't have to see where I need to apply it...I just have to believe in it's power. He does the rest.
Dad's...this is a vicious, sinful, wicked world. Many times the only thing standing between our kids and devastation, is the effective, fervent, consistent prayers of dad's who never stop being faithful to their kids. Men who divorced or not, with their children daily or not...never stop seeking God and never stop claiming the protection of God over their precious little corp. Be forever faithful to your little band of soldiers, guys. You never know when the difference you make on those long nights on your knees, will pay off in a day like I had today.