As
I sit and reflect on the events of yesterday’s Father’s Day, I feel many
different emotions. My mind continues to
go back to the ride home from our celebratory meal to honor the fathers in our
family. This includes one of my dad’s, my father-in-love, and my wonderful
husband. It was a delightful meal filled
with great fellowship. On the way home
however, the topic of wishing God a Happy Father’s Day came up. Immediately, my husband was quick to say he
had, as My daughter and I struggled to remember what we did do since we hadn’t
done that.
The
service was wonderful. I so love
encountering the presence of God. It
makes my day, my week, my year because the Lord Jesus, my brother and joint
heir, along with my Father God, truly are all that and a bag of chips (and a Snickers
bar if you must have sweet with your salty as I do)! I’d worshipped, had some word and sweet
fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ and followed it up with a
wonderful meal and great family time. However,
in all of that I had not wished the one who made me a “Happy Father’s Day”. It saddened me a little because I never want
the Lord to think that I take Him for granted.
He has done so much and I am
exceedingly grateful.
I
am so blessed to have two earthly fathers.
One of them helped to give me life and the other raised me from
elementary school and I love them both dearly.
As my relationship deepens with my ultimate creator I find that my heart
is big enough for two Dad’s. As
wonderful as the journey has been with my earthly dad’s, and I look forward to
what is around the bend as time goes on, I find that it can’t touch this thing
I have going on with my Father God.
The
truth is God is the best Father in the world.
He is the best example to follow.
I
love the lyrics of Chris Tomlin’s “Good Good Father:
You’re a good good
Father.
It’s who you
are. It’s who you are. It’s who you are.
And I am loved by
you!
It’s who I
am. It’s who I am. It’s who I am!
It
sums up short and sweetly the kind of father God is. There is so much packed into that word good.
It includes being loving, gracious, merciful, kind, and extremely
long-suffering. Those are the words that
give us hope and a heart of gratefulness because when it is all said and done
we will get to be with Him for eternity.
Being loved by Him includes all of those wonderful attributes about our
Father God’s nature. It also includes some
attributes that we are not quite as fond of but that are necessary in our spiritual
maturation. We don’t always like the
disciplinarian side of Him.
He
teaches us through His word that we as parents must discipline our
children. It’s not love that leads us to
give into our children at every turn. Yes. We want more for them than we had. That is a noble and well-intended thought
process. However, we must also include
wisdom in our provision for our children.
According
to Proverbs 22:15 which states:
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a
child,
but the rod of correction will drive it
far from Him.
So,
discipline is necessary and in fact vital to natural maturity also. As we have been given the gift of salvation
and are joint heirs with Jesus, we are considered to be his dear sons.
Hebrews
12:5 says:
And
you have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons:
My son, do not despise the discipline
from the Lord, nor grow
Weary when you are rebuked by Him; 6for
whom the Lord loves
He disciplines, and scourges every son
whom He receives.
As
a child, I was not eagerly anticipating any type of correction. As an adult, I am so very grateful for the boundaries
that my parents put around me to keep me safe from harm. I am just as grateful for the Lord’s gentle
prodding of His staff as I navigate this narrow path that I find myself
straying from sometimes. I have come to
not only appreciate it in hind sight but to seek out those boundaries or bumpers before taking
a step.
I
am grateful that I have a loving Father that always has my best interest at
heart. So, while I know that Father’s
Day is a man-made holiday meant to honor natural Fathers, I can’t let it pass
that I did not honor our greatest Father.
Father
God, Happy Father’s Day! Let my life be
a reflection of the honor I wish to bestow upon you always!
