On the way to school one snowy morning, my kids hit a slippery patch and slid off the road. Now, the kids were fine and the car was fine, but they were a little shaken up. They couldn’t get out of the ditch by themselves, so they called us. Immediately my husband jumped in the car and went to help, because that’s what fathers do.

When we run our lives into a ditch, we aren’t fine, but it seems our first reaction isn’t to call our heavenly Father. After all, we know he’s holy and we’re not—and we’re afraid of his anger or disappointment. May I reassure you? Your Father is waiting—longing—for you to “call,” to pray, to reach out.

There’s a Bible story about a young man who disowned his family and then ran his life into a ditch. Ultimately he realized he needed help and—ashamed—went back home. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’” (Luke 15:20,21).

What the son said was true. He had sinned and wasn’t worthy, yet the Father still hugged him, welcomed him, and then threw a huge party.

Make the call. Your Father wants to help, because that’s what fathers do.