My Father

My earliest memories of my father dance in my mind. He often cradled me in his arms and sang to me at the close of the day. When I was too young to read for myself, I climbed into his lap with a stack of books, night after night. He patiently read every one. When he played tag with me in the yard, he let me think I could outrun him. He could make me laugh. His stories of growing up with four brothers entertained me endlessly. When I had a problem, I counted on my father to do something about it.

My memories of childhood are mostly happy, not because my parents were perfect–they weren’t. Like all families, there were struggles and conflicts. But I never had any reason to doubt their love for me. I grew up secure in that  knowledge.

Not everyone can look back on a happy childhood. Sin has broken the family unit in far too many cases. But the family, as designed by God, is a wonderful gift to humanity. He gave us a clear blueprint of what a family should look like. In a healthy marriage, husband and wife have each other for companionship, shared dreams, and encouragement. Parents are to teach their children God’s ways. The family unit is a place where we learn to get along with others, care for each other and enjoy life. It’s a place where laughter abounds. Sin has corrupted, distorted and redefined what God intended.

Sin has broken God’s original design for everything, starting with the family. This became evident in the Garden. As soon as sin extended its tentacles, the harmony disappeared. Adam blamed the woman for giving him the fruit, even though he knew what God had said and offered no resistance. He even blamed God for giving him the woman in the first place. The woman blamed the serpent. Neither the man nor the woman took any personal responsibility for their actions. Division. Pride. Blame. Selfishness. Disharmony. The same things continue to damage family relationships now.

Not all children know a father like my father. Perhaps your story is one that includes abuse or abandonment. Regardless of what a person’s family background may be, we all have access to a  Heavenly Father. Those who turn to Him find a loving Father who cares, guides, and  protects. He will heal whatever scars have marred your life. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place, for our sin. His death and resurrection open for us an eternal, loving home. Whoever receives His Son, has the right to become His child. He has all authority and deserves our awe and reverence, so we approach Him with a holy fear, but then, He loves us beyond our deserving or understanding. He is our security. All who come to Him find a Father who extends grace, forgiveness, and unending love. He is the Father who sings over us (Zephaniah 3:17).

God is in the business of restoration. He restores what sin has broken. In families and in individual lives where Jesus is Lord, sin’s damage is diminished. Harmony is restored.

The Bible reveals God as a loving Father. Because of my earthly father’s tenderness for me, I have no difficulty believing what Scripture teaches me about my Heavenly Father. If an imperfect family can be so wonderful, I can only begin to imagine what heaven will be like.