Father's Day

I know there are so many that struggle with man made holidays such as Father's Day.  Maybe you have lost your father, maybe you have never known your father, maybe your relationship with your father is strained or difficult and you wish you had a different father.  Maybe your father was anything but loving.  Then there are those who are a father, but maybe you have a strained relationship with your own child.  Maybe you spent this father's day separated from you child.  Whatever the case, celebrating Father's Day falls short for many people.

The truth is you have a Heavenly Father who lives in a high and holy place but also dwells with those lowly in spirit.  You have a Heavenly Father whose love is steadfast and never ceases or changes.  You have a Heavenly Father who has given everything, even his very life for you.  You have a Heavenly Father who is your provider, protector and who has prepared a dwelling place for you in His Kingdom.  His Kingdom, that's right, He is a King, royalty, and you, an heir to His throne.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?^"  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Are you a doubting Thomas? 

Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Are you a slave or a son?

 Psalm 68:4-6 (ESV) "Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him!  Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.  God settles the solitary in a home..."

Where does your heart settle?

For the first two years of life the word Daddy had no meaning to Mercy.  The word Dada was not even in her vocabulary.  Last month all of that changed as she met her Daddy for the first time.  In the past month she has learned to say Dada.  She says it while smiling, she says it while laughing, she says it just to see Scott's reaction, she says it for attention, she says it when she sees Scott's picture and she says it while crying.  She reaches her arms out to her Dada, she smiles at her Dada, she is beginning to desire her Dada more and more everyday, and she is learning to depend on her Dada to meet her needs.  I could learn a lot from her.  Reach for your Heavenly Father, laugh, smile, seek, desire and cry to Him.  Depend on Him.

I'm thankful today for Scott who has given me and our kids a tangible example of what God's love looks like.  He's not perfect, sure he makes mistakes, but he shows patience, gentleness, kindness, mercy and love to me and our kids on a regular basis.  He works hard and provides for our family.  He so often sacrifices himself for our needs and time.  Thank you Scott for being the godly father that you are.  Thank you for pursuing your children with a strong yet gentle love.  Thank you for working hard and for the many sacrifices you make to me and our four kids.  Happy Father's Day.  We love you!