I love the Bible. It is so real—not only with examples of
how to live; but also with examples of how not to live. Some of the
Bible’s biggest characters were horrible fathers.
Samuel had no control over
his sons who took bribes as leaders of Israel. Lot wanted to give his daughters
to the men of the town to rape. Abraham, Isaac and David were all heads of
seriously dysfunctional families. Israel showed so much favoritism to his son,
Joseph that Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.
The point is that even though they made mistakes—lots of
them—terrible ones—ultimately they were saved because God loved them and they
loved God.
Fortunately, the Bible also gives us examples of good
fathers. One of the greatest examples is Jesus’ earthly stepfather. Joseph
married Mary in spite of her being a pregnant, unwed young girl. He gave her
and Jesus a home; gave him stepbrothers and a stable family life.
Jesus would have still been God in human form if Mary had
been a single mother. But no doubt, God intended Jesus to be part of an intact
family with an earthly father-caregiver for a purpose. And one purpose might
have been to show the importance of fathers in children’s lives. As an example
to us.
I had a wonderful earthly father. But not everyone had kind, loving earthly fathers who loved
God. Some of us have stumbled our way through life, grasping onto Jesus’ hand
when we finally met him in a dark place in our lives. How much better might it
have been to have been raised as a Christian, knowing Jesus as a child; led to
Him by our earthly mother and father who loved Him, too?
This Sunday, as we celebrate the fathers we had and the legacy they leave through us, we are grateful for the creation of family; for the example of Jesus' earthly family and even more for our Heavenly Father who loves us eternally.
Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for placing us in families and for the legacies you provide through our parents and through us. Thank you for being our eternal Heavenly Father. Help us celebrate Heavenly Father's Day every day for you. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How will you observe Father's Day this weekend?
