I am blessed that I had a loving, faithful, earthly father to help point me to Jesus. I miss him like crazy. My father was a wise man with a strong but gentle leadership style. He was a quiet man with a warm smile and a kind heart. In all his kindness though he could scare the living daylights out of you. And I don’t mean like hard spankings. But in efforts to teach the best lesson in the most memorable way he’d take some risks. Like the time he was teaching me to drive for the first time ever. He put me in a stick shift, even though an automatic was an option, and smack dab at the steepest point of our straight down driveway says, “Okay, don’t strip the gearshift. You can do it!” Yeah, I miss those days with my Dad. And tomorrow I’m remembering my Father and thanking God for him.
And then there’s my hubs who is an amazing father to our children. I’m thankful for the risks he takes with our kids as well – and I guess this is what Dads do. They take our kids places we as Moms might not dare to go otherwise. And even in all their risk taking adventures Dads provide a strength and stability that Moms need and that their kids need. Our children are blessed to have a Dad who spends time with them, who builds them up and is willing to point out the truth even when it hurts. The patience involved in teaching a teenager how to work hard and mow straight lines can be equally painful for both Father and son but that’s what Dad’s do. They train and they don’t say everything they’re thinking all at once. They build up and encourage even when it’s hard.
Tonight we will try to let Randy know how much we love him as a Father and the leader of our home. We’ve fixed a nice meal on china for him and we’ll have homemade pound cake out on the porch and celebrate Father’s Day. And tomorrow we’ll celebrate as a church the fathers both young and old. I love Randy’s touch on Father’s Day at church. Last year it was ice cold cokes in bottles and Moon Pies. Tomorrow he has another treat for all the Dads and kids. He gave away rolls of duct tape for special category Dad’s: Dad with the most remote controls, etc. Fun stuff. He has some fun thing lined up for tomorrow.
My heart goes out to my single Mom friends and to those who may find Father’s Day just plain hard. I’m so sorry it’s hard for you. I want to share with you these promises you have from the greatest of all Fathers. The omnipresent Father who will never leave you or your children. Ever. Rest in these true words of your Creator.
Psalm 68:5
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Psalm 10:1 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
Deut. 24:19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
*When I read scripture I see three groups of people that God continually looks out for in a unique way. The foreigner, the fatherless and widows. He even goes to say there is special blessing for those who bless these groups of people. I believe God died for and loves all people the same. But I believe our God, who is very rich in compassion and mercy, has a special place in his heart for the those hurting in these specific areas and He has made special provision for you. It might not always feel like it. You might feel like the ugly duckling not belonging and missing out but if we take God at his word then we’ll see He really is for you. Be blessed my friends because God’s had your back from the beginning of time. He won’t stop now.
Oh church, if this admonition in Deut. 24:19 isn’t a reminder of how we should be caring for those around us and in our church then what will be? Do you want God to bless ALL the work of your hands? Who doesn’t, right? Well then, let’s get busy caring for the widows, the fatherless, and the foreigners. We can get all nit picky on “who is a foreigner” and who truly constitutes as “the fatherless” but let’s not. Let’s just care for those around us and not pick it to death where we end up doing nothing for fear we haven’t found the perfectly biblically correct “fatherless” person. May God use us all to minister the way He has designed us to.
Happy Father’s Day!
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