On Fathers and Father's Day: Theory, Practice and Mercy
A) Who is a Father?
1) Heavenly Father: The Father who created us even before we came to this world. Our Father in Heaven.
2) Biological father: our earthly father who contributed his biological and genetic inheritance to conceive us, fertilizing our biological mother's egg inside her body (conception).
3) Non-biological earthly fathers: one or more men who have substituted for or helped our biological father raise us during our earthly lives at one time or for longer periods. They are father-figures, such as grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, mentors, older brothers, teachers, friends, pastors, etc.
B) What makes a father worthy to celebrate:
1) That he has created us (Heavenly Father and biological father).
2) That he has loved us, provided for us, protected us, affirmed us, blessed us, and guided us in the right path so that we can become prepared and strong men and women (Heavenly, Biological and Non-biological fathers). And in so doing, that he has respected our earthly mother and the family, being a loving, wise leader and spiritual head of the household.
How blessed are those who understand and receive the knowledge and the blessings of having all of these fathers in their lives!
We celebrate Father's Day and should celebrate it each and every day, knowing that even if our biological and other earthly father-figures have lacked in their presence or deeds, our Heavenly Father is the One who never leaves us nor forsakes us. His love is unconditional, for He has given us His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from sin and to welcome us into His family kingdom.
For we were loved and thought of even before we came into this world.
Psalm 139:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb
And this is how Jesus, the perfect Son, One with the Father and the Holy Spirit, has taught us to pray:
Our Father,
Which art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
As it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever!
Amen.
And Jesus said:
Matthew 7:21
New International Version (NIV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
To please our Father in Heaven is to love Him and to know that only through His Son, Jesus Christ, will we be taken from the darkness of our sins and sorrows into the light and closeness with the Lord, and granted the unmerited privilege of salvation, through faith and grace, to be heirs of His Kingdom ...
We all are children in the world, but we do not have to be orphans, separated from the Love of God ... For Jesus said:
Matthew 18:6
New International Version (NIV)
6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
(whatever you do unto these little ones, you do unto me)
The time is near: Jesus will return, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to fulfill all God's word and will. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be taken up, and the ones who have gone to be with the Lord before us will also be given new bodies. And there will be no more tears, sorrows or disease - only joy and laughter in the amazing presence of our FATHER!
My Heavenly Father is now keeping and guarding my biological earthly Dad (photo below) under His care ...
... and I can hardly wait to be in their presence for all eternity. I also thank all my other father-figures, who have played a crucial part in my upbringing and in teaching me lessons of maturity. They have all been instruments of God for my good, according to His will...
To all Fathers on earth: you are responsible for being representatives of our Heavenly Father in your children's lives and to introduce them to Him through Jesus - teach them to pray and to depend on the Lord!
What a mission FATHERHOOD is: be courageous, Fathers, live it to the fullest, be obedient to God's Word, and enjoy this mission by being a blessing in your little children's hearts and minds, a reflection of the love and the will of the Lord, through Jesus Christ!
You will never do it alone, for the Lord is with you!
To all the fathers, Happy Father's Day!!!
Today and every day ...
