When we celebrate Father’s Day, we honor our Fathers as the Bible tells us to in Exodus 20 vs 12. What does it mean to honor them? It means to respect, love and listen to them. It doesn’t mean you have to believe everything or follow their ways in everything, right or wrong.
Some of you have or have had Godly Fathers, making it easier to obey your parents in the Lord. Some of you have had Fathers, although not Christian, they have done their best in raising you, often under various trying circumstances. Still others may have been mentally or physically abused, mistreated, neglected or ignored. You will need the Almighty Grace of God to help you honor them, and it is available for the asking.
Christians can draw upon their resources in Christ to love and honor them through the all sufficiency in Him. The only way in which we should not honor them is if they explicitly tell us to do something that is against the Bible, or not to do something that the Bible commands. Then we must obey God, rather than man, Father or not.
As our Fathers age and become more frail in mind and body, we should look after and care for them. They are made in the image of God and as such they are to be treated with great respect, value and dignity. Love is a verb, it is spelled TIME. Spending time with them, appreciating them, and it may even include helping them out financially if you have the wherewithal. They have made many sacrifices for us and we in turn should reciprocate.
For Fathers and Sons to be ignored can be very lonely and very painful for both of them. It would be very unusual if a Father or a Son said they wished they would have spent more time at the office than with their family. If they did, they could identify with the painful realization in Harry Chapin’s very popular song “The Cat’s in the Cradle”. In this song, the Son was longing to spend time with his Father. His Father kept busy with other commitments, day after day, month after month and year after year. Then one day after college, the Father wanted to spend time with his Son. But now the Son was too busy for his Father. Then the Father sadly said: “Then it occurred to me he’d grown up just like me, my boy was just like me.” This song is so true, but sad beyond words for countless Fathers and Sons in the world today.
God is the Father of everyone by virtue of creation. But God is also the Heavenly Father of every Christian who has repented and asked forgiveness for their sins. It is good to give gifts to your Father, but God your Heavenly Father has given the greatest gift of all. HIS SON.
If you receive this unbelievable gift in Christ, God will not just be Father but ABBA FATHER, which means DAD. There is a monumental difference. Are you a Father or a Dad?
Happy Father’s Day
Pastor Gary Tomiuck
Wainfleet Congregational Christian Church
