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In this brief passage, we are reminded that God is our Father. As our Father He is to receive
glory. So while we honor our earthly fathers on this Father's Day, may we remember to honor our
heavenly Father too. After all we honor our natural father because of what they have done for us.
Why not glorify God, who supplies all our needs through Christ our Lord?
Let me begin by asking a question. Who is the most wonderful father in the world? I am sure
there are some of you who will say, My father is the most wonderful father in the world. There are
people who apparently feel that way about their father. If you look at the Father's Day cards you will
find some that say that. Some may say the most wonderful father in the world or the world's greatest
dad. I am sure that we all feel our dad is special although some make greater contributions to our
lives than do others.
In the Bible there are 549 verses about "fathers" and some 979 verses using the word "father" in
the singular. They use the word in a variety of ways, but I will mention only three or four. (1) There
are fathers in the sense of civil or political leaders. They watch over the people and make decisions
for the common people just as a father does for his children, thus they are called fathers. (2) There
are also fathers in the sense of religious leaders. They are spiritual fathers, who as leaders make
decisions that affect the people involved in the various religious activities. Thus they are called
fathers too. (3) By far the most familiar to us is the person who is a male parent. It may be the
biological or adoptive parent, but he is called the father. Of course it is this parent who is honored
on Father's Day. (2 Kings 5:1).
While all those fathers are mentioned in the Bible, the one to whom I have reference is not one
of the three that I have mentioned. I am talking today about God, our heavenly Father. Jesus talked
to the disciples about His Father and our Father. He had refernce to God in heaven (Matthew 6:9).
Thus when I refer to the most wonderful father in the world, I am talking about our heavenly Father.
The only perfect person to ever live and die on the earth was Jesus (1 Peter 2:22). He is perfect even
as our Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). So then, as wonderful as an EARTHLY father
is, they all rate below our HEAVENLY father. Let us look at some of the MANY characteristics that
distinguish our heavenly Father as the most wonderful Father.
1. His love. An earthly father should love his children with out reservation or conditions, but
the truth is they do not all do so. Occasionally a child does not meet the approval of their father and
the fellowship is broken and some are even disinherited. Have you ever known of that? Maybe the
child did something the father did not approve of and so were shunned for years. It does happen.
Then for some strange reason a father may love one child more than another and give them
preferential treatment all their life. We find that in the Bible with Jacob an Esau. Esau was the
firstborn and he was the rugged outdoorsman. He hunted and shared with his father and Isaac love
him more than Jacob. On the other hand Jacob was the favorite of his mother Rebekah. Jacob
deceived his father and had to leave home. Each one received preferential treatment from one of the
parents (Genesis 25:27-28). You would assume that Jacob would have learned to have done
differently, but he later showed preferential treatment to his younger son Joseph. This time it was
because he was the son of his old age (Genesis 37:3). Such are the stories and heartbreak of earthly
love.
However, God's love is different. His love is not based on who we are or what we do. He chose
Jacob above Esau, before they were born. His love for Jacob was unconditional, not based on
anything he did (Romans 9:11). All whom God chose to be His children, He adopted into His family
(Ephesians 1:5). He then loved us with an unsinkable love. His fatherly love is unending (Jeremiah
31:3). He loved us so much that He saved us by His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. It was
not that He sacrificed Jesus for us, but that in mutual aggreement Jesus was willing to die for us
because He loved us and the Father was willing for Him to do so because of His love for us (1 John
3:16 & 4:10). His love so filled our hearts that we now love Him (1 John 4:19). No preferential
treatment is given, His rules are the same for me as for you. Your glory in heaven will be the same
as mine. If we live in His will and obey His word, our joys are the same. This most wonderful
Father in the world has loved us in such a wonderful way.
2. His provision. Earthly fathers often try to provide the best they are capable of obtaining
(Matthew 7:9-10). On the other hand some make a lousy effort to do so (1 Timothy 5:8). Let's be
honest, the provisions of all earthly fathers is imperfect. Some of those who may have the financil
means to provide the material needs, have often negelected the emotional needs. Even when we
have done the best, most fathers look back and wish they had done better. Why? Because some
where there were deficiencies in our provisions. Some either cannot or will not provide: the
physical needs, the emotional needs and the spiritual needs. On the other hand, some made the best
effort possible to provide all three. In spite of our best, we fail in some degree, but God never fails
(Matthew 7:12).
God provides for us all that we NEED. The problem is that we often confuse our needs with our
wants. What we may need is a meal, but we may want the finest meal available. The truth is, God
does and will feed His people (Psalm 37:25). But sometimes we refuse the provisions that He
makes. Many of God's children could be better off, if they would live by the teachings of His word.
Sometimes we may not realize it but, our jobs, our homes, our clothes, and everything else we enjoy,
God has provided (James 1:17).
Not only does He provide for us in life, but in eternity also. No earthly parent can do that for us.
No one can be saved by their works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Nor can we be saved by what someone else
does for us, not even a loving parent (Psalm 49:7-8). We are saved for heaven through the finished
work of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Yet eternal life is our Father's free gift (Romans 6:23). How
wonderful that the most wonderful Father in the world has provided so well for us, in natural and
spiritual needs.
3. His teachings. Our earthly fathers have taught us many things, some good, some bad. I have
known of parents teaching their children to curse by their profanity. A school boy told his teacher
that he used profanity because his parents talked that way. I read of a boy named Joseph who had
been sent to bed early for cursing. When his father came home and found out about it, he became
angry. He said "I'll teach him to use curse words." At the top of the stairs he tripped and his wife
had to cover her ears because of the profanity he used. She said, I think you better come down now,
he has had enough of a lesson already.) Where do we learn our good and bad habits? Often, though
not always, by the example of our parents. Remember that earlier is said Jacob learned preferential
treatment, because his father and mother showed him how. Though we try to impart good habits,
we are imperfect and also teach our children bad habits too. Sometimes we do not even know what
we do is wrong. We were taught them by our parents and just assumed it was the right way.
This is where our heavenly Father comes to our aide. He has given us a perfect set of law by
which to live. If we follow them, we will do what is right. Follow your earthly father, maybe.
Follow your heavenly Father, always. His words and ways are right and pure (Psalm 19:8). They
enable us to live a clean and morally good life ( Psalm 119:9). Basically, that is what Jesus said to
His disciples (John 15:3). God's word is forever true, they have stood the test of time (Matthew
24:35). That cannot be said of the words of our earthly fathers unless they have spoken to us the
words of God. God's words tell us about Him and Jesus Christ our Saviour and about heaven and
hell. They show us the straight and narrow way and also help us identify the way that leads to
destruction for so many. He helps us know how to live, how to talk, and how to think. If we adhere
to His teachings, we will experience more peace and happiness than any words our earthly fathers
could share with us. The most wonderful father in the world has given us the most wonderful
teachings in the the world too.
The point of all this is two-fold. First, that we might be thankful to Him. Only as we are
reminded of His goodness as a Father, will we be able to express our gratitude. Often the best
fathers, who adhere to the highest principles are not fully appreciated by their children. Sometimes
that is true until after their death. Years later, the child recognizes how blessed he was to have such
a father. Even so, we often fail to appreciate our heavenly Father as we should. We do not thank
Him for all He has done for us as we should. True, He will neve die, but we will. While we are
alive, let us think about Him as a heavenly Father, and thank Him for His goodness. May we do so
from the bottom of our hearts (Hebrews 13:15).
Second, we need to imitate Him as a father. We earthly fathers need to pattern ourselves after
His perfect example. If we learn from Him and become more like Him, we will become better
fathers. Our children will have it better too. They will learn better ways than our ways, for His ways
are much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). The more of our ways we teach our children, the more
imperfect they are proned to become. If we can just recognize that we do not have all the answers,
then we can look to Him for the right ones. We may have looked into our hearts, or listened to
others who have made similar mistakes. In so doing mistakes are compounded. No mere mortal has
yet discovered pefection in any role, certainly not in parenting. God did it perfectly from the
beginning. He has never had to make an adjustment. His ways will always be right. Let all of us
fathers, committ ourselves to Jesus Christ and live as our heavenly Father has taught us.
I will tell you up front that satan will not like it. The more like God you and your children
become, the less satan can get you to sin. He would rather you: (1) stay too busy with work to have
time to teach your children God's ways, (2) that you be too preoccupied with hobies and special
interests to take time to train up your children in the ways they should go, and (3) that you remain
too ignorant of the word of God to know how to teach them the truths of the Bible. That is what
satan wants. What do you want?
Fathers, God has given you enough love throught Christ, to fill your hearts and overflow into the
lives of your children. He has given His Holy Spirit to help you become what you should be, and
to help your children be the same. He has given His inspired word to instruct you that you may
properly instruct your children. The story was told of a young boy who said to his mother that when
he grew up he wanted to be a Christian like his father. Then he added, no one can tell if he is a
Christian or not. His father was like a clock without hands. It may be working inside but you cannot
tell it from the outside.)
It is likely that your children will want to be somewhat like you. What kind of father are you?
They may even send you a Father's Day card that says you are the best, the most wonderful father
in the world. If you are living as God has taught, that statement will be a great deal truer than if you
are not following Him. Please think about God as the most wonderful Father in the world. Think
about the kind of father you want to be. Then pray for grace to live such a life. Your life will be
richer and so will the lives of your children. God bless us in this holy endeavor. If we do this, it will
give glory to God our Father. Amen. (So it is, so may it be.)
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