I want this week to be the week that we women acknowledge all the great dads in our lives, the ones we have, the ones we married or the ones next door. I know that the site is geared towards women but I am very aware of our male readers. On behalf of the women in your life, now or in the future, thanks for caring enough about your faith to look beyond the pink and hang around.
As I told you yesterday, I have THE best dad. But I am also keenly aware that not everyone does. This took me many years to realize as I was so insulated from the cruel reality by my own father. The reality has even hit close to home, in my own family, that not everyone gets dealt the dad I got. Yet I truly believe that its God’s intention that we do get these wonderful dads to protect us and love us. We are the ones who mess it up one way or another.
The Bible has a story for whatever kind of father you are: a traditional father, an adoptive father, a father of dysfunctional kids, a father who turned away his child, a father who has experienced profound loss or a man who longs to be father.
Certainly we are all aware that the Bible tells the story of God the Father lovingly caring for His children through all of our stubborn rebellion. We see God as the Father who shares in our triumphs and cries at our defeats. We see the picture of what every man is called to be.
If you are an adoptive father, I think you are so special. You have opened yourself up to love in ways that I’m sure you couldn’t even begin to imagine. Today I ask you to think of Saint Joseph. He did the adoption thing well. He raised Jesus in the faith and shared his trade with Him. Your children are begging you for the same. How they benefit from your faith…and how they long to just hang out with you..all kids do.
So what about the father of kids that are really screwing things up? Look to Noah. His sons ridiculed him. They took him at his most vulnerable and exposed him. Talk about shame! Yet we see that even though his own children turned their back on Noah, God never did. Take heart. God loves your children more than you do. He wants them back in His life and in yours. Pray ceaselessly.
Maybe you are a dad who turned your back on your kids. This makes me think of Abraham and Ishmael. We all know God thought Abraham was a pretty righteous dude. But Abe and God both knew he messed up with Ishmael. Decide today to make things better. Thank God that He is the God of Second Chances. Begin to repair the relationship if you can or pray for forgiveness if you can’t.
If you have experienced the loss of a child, my heart breaks for you. I can’t imagine how it feels to be a guy who can’t do anything to “fix” the situation. It makes me think of David and Absolom. If you find yourself here or want to know more about the heart of a father, come back tomorrow as we take this story apart. Also take comfort in the fact that God knows all too well what it is like to lose a child. He offered His to save you. Please know that I in no way want to minimize your pain but want to only offer you the example of those that have gone before you.
What if you are reading this and only long to be a father? In this case I think of Zechariah. He and Elizabeth waited forever for John the Baptist. They were too old to see, let alone have kids. Yet God honored their prayer. He will also honor yours. It may not be the way you think. Somewhere a child needs someone longing to be a father to be theirs…go find him or her.
Whatever kind of dad you are or want to be begin today to be even better. The women in your life are counting on you. Aren’t we, Ladies?
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