Of course, my sister and I did have boundaries as to how far we were allowed to wander from home.  We didn’t have cellphones or even a watch to keep track of the time. So how did we know when it was time for dinner ?  Daddy’s whistle.

Daddy’s whistle was loud and strong.  No matter where we were in our neighborhood, there was no mistaking it.

When the whistle sounded, we’d drop what we were doing and head home, or at least that’s what we were supposed to do.

The first whistle was to alert us dinner was ready, or perhaps we needed to visit family or go to the store. He certainly gave us ample time to get home before the second whistle would sound.

The second whistle sounded with a bit more urgency: dinner is getting cold, hurry home or we’ll be late, etc…

The third whistle?  Well,  there really wasn’t a third whistle as I recall; rather at that point, my mom would hit the phones calling around the neighborhood to track us down.  Thankfully, that didn’t happen often.

So what made me think about the way our daddy used to whistle for us?

During my devotions, I was reading the book of Zechariah, and this verse struck a chord in me:

“I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.” Zechariah 10:8  

I love knowing Zechariah’s purpose was to comfort and encourage God’s people to remain faithful in times of distress and perplexity.  Zechariah focused the attention of the people on the Lord’s promises for the future.

Grab hold of His promises and don’t let go.

Just like my daddy’s whistle on those warm summer evenings calling out to his daughters,

be encouraged today, that our Heavenly Father whistles for us, gathers us, and redeems us, His daughters.

When you hear the sound of His whistle, the first whistle, answer the call and draw near to Him.