Father's Day Reflection

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!