Even if we just met, it would be hard for you to get through a prolonged conversation without me mentioning my dad. I tell almost everyone I know that my dad is the most amazing person I’ve ever met.
I know I could go through the stats about what makes my dad great. He has an endless list of accomplishments that he would never tell you about and is probably going to scold me for pointing them out in this blog. But as much as I could brag about how great he is, I would rather focus on how good he is.
See greatness is measured by achievements and accolades, all of which just focus on the results. While in contrast, goodness is measured by the process, how you approach life day in and day out. The difference between being good and great is realizing that the means to an end are just as important as the end itself.
I remember almost never seeing my dad when he went to work when I was a kid, because he always left before we got up. I remember the countless hours in the car driving me to and from football practices and games. I remember seeing my dad sit in the stands at day long wrestling tournaments just to watch me for 3 minutes doing something that I loved. I remember the time he nearly tore his quad playing capture the flag with me at a church event. I remember the quiet moments spent in prayer or the way he would worship in church on a Sunday morning. I remember my dad talking about big biblical concepts like grace, unconditional love, and forgiveness.
Each of these memories, plus dozens more, make it easy for me to understand the idea of God the Father. When I read about God, desperate to have a relationship with us, to have and to hold us as his children, it makes sense to me because of the amazing man that held me as a child. When someone says that God loves us unconditionally, I can begin to understand that because of the dad I have that has loved me immensely my entire life. I can firmly say, I understand the love of my Father in heaven because of the example of my father on earth.
However, for every great dad, there are some that miss the mark. I know many people who would not be able to say that their dad helped to show the unselfish love of the Father. For some, Father’s Day is much less a celebration than a day of pain and longing.
The great thing about Father’s Day is as much as it is about celebrating our father on earth… it can also be about celebrating our Father in heaven.
Even the best of dads on earth will fail us but, we have a Father in heaven who will never fail us, hurt us, or abandon us, but rather, is standing with open arms ready to embrace us.
Psalms 68:5 says, “a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
In this life, people will fail you, relationships will fail you, even fathers will fail you, but we have a heavenly Father who will never fail us. So, as we celebrate our father’s this weekend, I encourage each of you to also celebrate and thank our heavenly Father.
As we pray for health, safety, and prosperity for our dad’s this weekend I hope we also pray a thank you to God, the Father of the heavenly lights.
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