Sunday Devotional- Sunday, June 20, 2010- A Great Father

Greetings brothers and sisters!

Today, I would like to wish all of the fathers and those who are “like fathers” a Happy Father’s Day! This is a special day to honor special men all around the world. Father’s Day started in the 20th century (around June 19, 1910) to complement Mother’s Day and is designed to honor those who are fathers and who are involved with male parenting. It started in Spokane, Washington after a lady named Sonora Smart sat through a church service commemorating mothers. She felt that people like her father, who was a Civil War veteran left to raise 6 children upon the death of his wife, needed to be honored as well as mothers. Through the help of others, it became a holiday after many years. Now, it is recognized worldwide.

What makes a good father? This is a great question. I have read message boards and talked to people and simply sat back and listened as people discuss fathers. The general consensus is that a good father is someone who is reliable, supportive and caring. Children have a figure to which they can look up and see as an example. Good fathers make mistakes and correct them willingly. Often, children who have fathers who are irresponsible and do not care turn to another male who is more appealing and thoughtful and find the guidance that they desperately need. Sometimes this is done through being a step-father or a “big brother”. It is a very big responsibility for a male to set an example for a child to follow. This should never be taken lightly.

Here is a Father’s Day Poem that pretty well sums up a Father

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it...
Dad
~Author Unknown

I know of a Father who is perfect and who loves us unconditionally. He is never behind on child support, and He is always there. He supports us and He loves us more than we could ever imagine. This Father feeds the hungry, heals the sick, rejoices in our victories and mourns our losses. This Father is found in heaven and His name is God the Father. How much does He love us?

John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That is the deepest love imaginable! God made us so He would have company. Satan tempted us and we gave in to sin. Well, God still loved us in spite of how He was treated and how crude and repugnant our world became. He sent His son to earth, to walk among us and share the Word. He wanted to correct the wrong that had been done (by us). He loved His son so much, but Jesus was sacrificed so that we could be cleansed of the sins that were caused by our downfall! To experience the closeness of God, all we have to do is talk to Him and ask Him to enter our lives. If we walk close to Him and ask Him to forgive our sins, we will live to see Him in person one day when we go to heaven.

As you go about your Father’s Day today, stop and think about Our Father in heaven. Stop and tell Him Happy Father’s Day.

Have a blessed day!
Love in Christ!
~Kim