2 Samuel 4-6 / John 13:31-14:14 / Psalm 119:17-32 / Proverbs 15:31-32
Fathers… Father’s Day is coming in a few weeks, and just like with Mother’s Day it is both a celebration and also a hard day for some. Some didn’t have a good relationship with their father. Some have lost their father. Those who have a wonderful father who is still with them are blessed!
Jesus said in John 14 that He came to show us the Father, and that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father in heaven. And Jesus said of Himself that He is the way to the Father. In other words, if I want a relationship with God as Father, I must go through faith in Jesus Christ and the work He did on the cross.
Jesus said this in John 14:9 Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!
So, if you want to know what God is like as a Father, read about the life of Jesus while He was here on earth. That means reading the stories in the Gospels which were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Many will tell you to begin with the book of John to get a clear picture of who Jesus is.
God has awakened my heart to several men around me who no longer have a father on earth. There are a lot of orphans in my circle. My own husband lost his daddy when he was only 2 years old. His momma remarried 2 years later and Jeff’s step-dad was a wonderful man. But the fact remains, Jeff’s daddy was not there to pass along to him the things he would need in life.
Jeff has turned out to be one of the most amazing men I’ve ever met, despite losing his dad. He is kind, compassionate, hard-working, considerate and caring of others. He’s a leader who loves God and loves people.
Just yesterday as I talked with a friend, I realized that many of the men around me had either lost their dad or had absentee dads. There is a shortage of spiritual fathers in our day, and it’s something I have not been fully aware of until recently. Now I find myself thankful that I have a husband who is spending time with these men and pointing them to the Father. I also find myself praying for these men.
A man needs his dad to show him both how to be a man and how to be a father. So, what is one to do when he finds himself without that father figure? God will provide a substitute – an example on earth of what is lacking in our lives. And that substitute must always be faithful to point these men to God as Father.
God is a good Father; He is perfect, loving and kind. He is also One who will teach and train, correct and discipline – leading the men in our lives toward true manhood. And that is encouraging to me, because I’ve noticed a trend the past several decades to take away the masculinity of our men – to make them weak – even to “feminize” them. This is unacceptable! We need strong, godly men in our world to help lead and be a voice of truth and compassion.
If you know a man who is an orphan, pray for him. Whether he is young or old, he is missing that connection and example of father in his life. Pray that God will send him someone who will be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth, as well as point him to the perfect Father in heaven.
