Father, Daddy, Pop, Dad, Papa—names describing a male parent. These titles birth intense sensibilities for every person. The emotions expressed can be good, bad, or indifferent. A father’s legacy, whether present or absent, loving or cruel, can last a long time.
My daddy loved me and my sisters. We loved him. He dispensed persistent, loving discipline with gracious imperfection. He provided the essentials of life, including a firm foundation of faith. Through his example, we learned about our loving Heavenly Father. Partnering with our mom, he led our family unit. At times our relationships lacked civility, but blood and God linked us. Even though both our parents now reside in heaven, my sisters and I share a special bond because of their example of God’s love.
While on earth, Jesus exemplified the essence of a father/son relationship. Love and trust bound them together. Through prayer they communed. Jesus lived to demonstrate this love to everyone. Once when surrounded by faithful followers and curious onlookers, He told the story about a father and his two sons (Luke 15:11-24). Through this story of redemption, Jesus articulated the merciful love of a parent for a child. The parable’s earthly example of a father represents our gracious Father in heaven.
As the story goes, a father had two sons and loved them both. He provided for them daily while also planning an inheritance for them after his death. When the younger son asked for his share before that dreadful happening, the father granted his request. Before too long, the son took the money and ran off to a distant land. While suffering extreme heartache over his son’s absence, the father waited with hopeful expectation for his return.
Meanwhile the son’s lifestyle ranged from reckless extravagance to abject poverty. Not until deprived of everything did he realize what he had left behind. Hungry and humbled, he decided to return home to his father as a hired servant.
On the way home, he contemplated his choices and their consequences. He had learned a hard lesson. He desperately desired forgiveness. What would he say to his father? How would his father respond?
As he neared familiar territory, he spotted his father running toward him. Uneasiness intensified in his gut. He thought about turning around. But where would he go? He had nothing. Even though he felt unworthy, he continued walking. He would ask his father to make him a servant. At least he could eat.
Before the son could speak, his father’s compassionate arms hugged away any fear of rejection. Tears of relief flowed from two sets of eyes. The son declared his sinfulness. The father granted amazing grace. A changed heart called for a celebration.
The Prodigal Son is a beautiful story of restoration because of a father’s love. But many people have never experienced love from a father. Celebrating dads on Father’s Day may be agonizing. Even praying the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples can be difficult as it begins with ‘Our Father’. Yet Jesus prayed this way. Why?
Jesus knew the love of His heavenly Father. He yearned for others to know the Father’s love. When Jesus prayed the prayer now called The Lord's Prayer, He began with the unifying phrase of ‘Our Father’. It connects everyone to the Creator God. We are His children. He is our Heavenly Father. He longs for everybody to know Him as a merciful Father. No matter what we’ve done, He waits in hopeful expectation with open arms to offer grace. Amazing grace.
We are His children. He is our Father. He loves us. Jesus loves us.
No matter if your father is dead, absent, cruel, or lovingly alive, you are worthy because you have a Heavenly Father who loves you. He created you. He knows you. He yearns for you, His child. Run to Him. Receive His grace. And build a relationship with Him through daily prayer.
Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:10-13 (NASB)
Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, still you would be our Father, our Redeemer from ages past. Isaiah 63:16 (TLB)
And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of his family, and calling to him, “Father, Father.” Romans 8:15 (TLB)
And because we are his sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, so now we can rightly speak of God as our dear Father. Galatians 4:6 (TLB)
Amazing Grace with lyrics......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3yLV2M0rlc