By Shewanda Riley

“Frank Jr” was what I was called as a child because between me and my 3 sisters,
I was the one most like my father. From how I walked (I can thank the strong Riley
family genes for being pigeon-toed) to my love of cooking, I was a carbon copy of my
father. I thought I might outgrow it, but the resemblance is even stronger now when I
hear myself saying the same things my father says, “You don’t have to believe me. Just
Keep on Livin’… You’ll see,” minus the North Carolinian accent. Even as I have tried to
change how I walk and talk, I can’t because it is in my DNA.

In tribute to my beloved father who passed away April 8, 2020, at the age of 81
years old, I’d like to share a fascinating story of daughters who knew the power of both
their natural and spiritual DNA (destiny, needs and authority). The daughters of
Zelophehad knew their destiny, let God meet their needs and exercised the right
authority. Zelophehad was a descendant of the Old Testament’s Joseph who did not
make it to the Promised Land.

Numbers 27:1-7 explains how they petitioned Moses for the right to inherit land.
Since their father died without leaving a male heir, they were concerned. Inheritance
laws at the time made it nearly impossible for women to own land. Verse 2 shows
how the five sisters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, chose to deal with their
situation in bold unity. Using an attitude of assurance, not fear or arrogance, verse 4
shows how they appealed to the right authority at the right time and with the right
attitude. In addition, they knew what the current laws were, but they also knew what
they were entitled to.

When Moses took their case to God, he was told by God to give the women their
land because what they were asking for was right. The scripture doesn’t say whether
the daughters prayed before they went to Moses. However, God’s response shows that he was waiting to meet their needs; all they needed to do was to courageously faithfully
ask him.

Like these daughters, we have to learn how to follow our destiny, allow God to
meet our needs and will obey the authority that he places in our lives. Much like our
natural DNA, our spiritual DNA can reproduce others that love God, seek after God and
trust God. We should ask God to show us how learning more about our spiritual dna will
make clearer the destiny God has for our lives, give us the confidence to know that our
needs will be met and allow us to recognize and obey the authority that will influence
our life. More than anything else, we must believe that God will increase our ability to
trust Him, our desire to seek God and, most importantly, our capacity to love Him.

Thanks to my father for the many lessons taught and the lessons that were caught by
watching your example of strength, faithfulness, and honor.

To all the fathers, daddies and play daddies, have a wonderful Father’s Day!
 

Shewanda Riley is a Dallas-based author of “Love Hangover: Moving From Pain to
Purpose After a Relationship Ends” and “Writing to the Beat of God’s Heart: A Book of
Prayers for Writers.” Email her at preservedbypurpose@gmail.com or follow her on
Twitter @shewanda.