“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:9-13
This month in the USA we will celebrate Father’s Day on June16th. On this day we show our appreciation and thankfulness for our earthly fathers. But it is important to appreciate and be thankful for our heavenly Father on this day as well. It is God the father who gave us life, and He is the one who sustains and provides for us in this life. I am thankful for my earthly father who raised me, took me to church, taught me Godly values, and loved me unconditionally during his 101 years on this earth. He also had a strong influence on who I am today.
One of my favorite movies is Kindergarten Cop. In this 1990 movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a tough police detective who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher in an elementary school to try and locate the ex-wife of a dangerous criminal. The only clue he has is their 5-year-old child who he believes is in his class. To find her through their child, he interviews each student and asks them, “Who is your daddy and what does he do?”
As I think about Father’s Day I am reminded of this movie and this question. Who really is our daddy and what does he do?
My earthly father grew up on a farm and after serving in the Army in WWII, he earned a college degree in dairy technology. He then went to work for Kraft Foods and spent his entire 35-year career there, working first on cheese research and development. He spent the last 15 years supervising Kraft’s global cheese production at their plants around the world. His job was partly responsible for my desire to work internationally as well.
While my earthly father took me to church, taught me Godly values, and served others inside and outside the church, he did not share his faith nor try to disciple me spiritually. He kept his faith private while actively serving in our church and community. That was typical of many people back in the 1960’s. The person who encouraged my faith more than anyone else was my wife, Kim. She had a very strong faith when we met in college and was instrumental in my journey of faith and commitment to serving the Lord in ministry. But I also had some spiritual “fathers”, men who discipled and mentored me in my life and helped me to grow spiritually.
Over the years I have come to realize that while I love and respect my earthly father and my human spiritual fathers, I love and trust my heavenly Father more. God is my true “Daddy” (Abba Father) because He loved me so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for my sins so that I might be His child forever (John 3:16)! What God has done, and still does today, is greater than what any human father or spiritual father could do. He created me (Psalm 139:13), has called me to be His child (1 John 3:1), and has made me an heir of His kingdom (Romans 8:17)! He promises to never leave or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5) and to be with me forever (Matthew 28:20).
My heavenly Father also reminds me that my true home is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and that I am only a visitor on this earth. While here on earth He commands me to honor my earthly father and mother (Exodus 20:12) and to take care of the family He has given to me (1 Timothy 5:8). But He also calls me to follow His son Jesus (Matthew 16:24) and to lead others to Him as well (Matthew 28:19). These are things I am more than willing to do because of what He has first done for me!
God has also made me an earthly father and a grandfather and has given me the responsibility to disciple my children and grandchildren (Proverbs 22:6). It can be a challenge in today’s culture, but it is something I strive for every day because my descendants need to know who their true “Daddy” is as well. When I leave this earth and go to join my heavenly Father (and my earthly and spiritual fathers), my descendants need to know where I am and where their true home is as well. They also need to put their faith in Jesus and trust Him with their lives and families so they too can return home and enjoy what our heavenly Father has prepared for them and all who believe in Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:9)!
So, this Father’s Day, when we honor our earthly fathers, let us not forget who our real “Daddy” is and remember to thank God our Heavenly Father and praise Him for His work in our life! Let us also thank God for our spiritual fathers who discipled us and encouraged our faith. And for those of us who are men, let us seek to be spiritual leaders in our family, in our churches, and in our nation, so that God our Father is honored, glorified, and made known to all people!