I had the pleasure of visiting with my dad on Father’s Day. It was nice considering it’s been about ten years since I lived close enough to do that. My life has been blessed with a great dad.
As I was a kid growing up, he did what he had to do to provide for our family. He took an active and consistent roll in my life. He made sure I had every opportunity to hear the Bible preached, and then accept its message for myself. He showed up to every one of my dance recitals, piano recitals, school band concerts and halftime shows. He was a regular on the sidelines during halftime with a camera snapping picture after picture. He paid for my education, and has been involved in every major decision of my life. He also expected a lot of me.
I expected a lot of him, too. There has never been a time in my life, then or now, that I have called on him and he didn’t help. Not one. He provided me the safety and security I needed to grow up with confidence and self-assurance.
My dad probably didn’t know it, but he played a big part in who I chose to marry.
I look at my husband, and see so many of the great qualities my dad has. My husband is a great dad, too.
My dad played a huge part in the way I grew to view my Heavenly Father.
Check this out… I trust that my Heavenly Father will always meet my needs. I believe that He is involved in my life- in every area of my life, and I include my Heavenly Father in the decisions I make. Sounds a lot like my earthly father, doesn’t it?
Sadly, I know everyone doesn’t have the warm feelings I have when they think of their own dads. Some dads just can’t be bothered. Some dads are too overbearing or belittling. Some dad’s can’t be counted on to be there for their kids. And even worse, some dads abuse the trust their kids place in them in ways that leave permanent scars.
Those dads often make it hard for kids to ever see their Heavenly Father in the proper light. After all, the only example of a father they’ve had was everything God isn’t.
It’s why being a dad is a position that should be highly valued and entered into with humility. Proper dad’s support their families and point them to Christ. Proper dads are dependable, providing safety and security for their families. Proper dads love on their kids. Proper dads live a Godly example in front of their children so that following after God on their own one day feels as natural as can be.
Today I pray for all the dad’s in my life. I pray that they continue to hold up the standard set before them by their own Heavenly Father. That they continue to live lives that point others to Christ, especially those children and grandchildren placed intentionally in their paths.
I also pray for those I know who didn’t have such an awesome dad growing up. God can cover even that. Sometimes He provides a wonderful earthly substitute, and sometimes He steps in on His own, becoming exactly what is needed, single-handedly healing those broken places in the hearts of His kids.
If your dad did a great job painting an accurate picture of what God looks like for you, make sure you thank him sometime for that. If he didn’t, forgive him first, and then look to your Eternal Father who loves you with a crazy inexplicable passion, a wide smiling pride, and an unquenchable love, and He will more than fill the needs of your heart.