Articles
"Happy Father's Day!"
“Happy Father’s Day!”
As with every holiday, these days can bring both joy and sorrow. They are a time of joy as you spend them with those you love, but for those who are missing someone (a father in this case), it is a time of sorrow. While you celebrate your father, others mourn the absence of their's. There is an even smaller minority that have no joy, nor sorrow towards this person, but disgust because he was a miserable failure. Your father falls into one of two categories: either (1) your father was a supreme man, who loved, cherished and provided for you — maybe he was a Christian, maybe he wasn’t; (2) or, your father was a terrible man, a failure of Biblical proportions, neglected you in all ways, or worse yet was abusive. Father’s day brings emotions of joy for some, sorrow for some, and severe pain for others. Here’s what I would ask you to consider: look beyond your father. If you have a good father, honor him for his diligent work; if you had a good father, honor him with good memories; if you have, or had a terrible father, look past him to the true Father.
Even as far back as Sinai, God demanded His people to honor those in this position, “Honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12a). You see, father’s day is a special time to honor those whom we love. One day a year is set aside for this man, but every day is set aside for our true Father. Father-children language is old, even before Sinai, God identified Himself as the Father of Israel to Moses as he was about to go speak to Pharaoh, “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn” (Ex. 4:22). Why does it matter that God is our Father? Because it changes the dynamics of this entire discussion. He is not some far-off-Deity who is uninterested in us. He is Father-God who cares for His children. Honor Him (cf. Deut. 1:29-33, where God explains that they should not be afraid to take the promised land, because God carried them like a man carries a son and will continue to sustain them; also, Deu. 32:5-6; Isa. 65:16; Hos. 11:1-11, etc).
Maybe your father was impeccable, a true disciple of King Jesus who made you want to be one too, then count your many blessings! Maybe your father was simply good, but was no Christian which you could emulate, then thank God he was good, even if he was not great. Maybe your father was terrible, crass, hateful, mean-spirited, or even cruel — then thank God you have a true Father who is NONE of those things! This is possibly the hardest concept for those who have been mistreated, or neglected to grasp, but please listen closely: You have a true Father, who resides in the heavens, who is perfect, kind, loving, compassionate, caring, and concerned. He listens and responds, and wants a relationship with you! He will never mistreat you, abuse you, let you down, or forsake you — HE JUST WANTS YOU. We must qualify this, so we don’t leave with something unbiblical. How God does these things needs to be understood. Some confuse the issues thinking, “If someone loves me, they will give me everything I want.” Nope! When someone loves you they will make sure have everything you need; and there’s a big difference between those two things. God will certainly provide you with all that you need to inherit eternal blessings, as James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17). This is OUR Father, and every day belongs to Him.
