Praising God for Fathers
Written by Steve Jackson | Senior Pastor
Fathers have become the butt of society’s jokes. If you watch any TV family sitcom, or worse yet any children’s programming, the father will most often be portrayed as foolish, out of touch, or the suppressor of all the good things in his child’s life. We’ve even coined phrases that poke fun at dads – think Dad bod or Dad jokes. It seems as though our culture isn’t putting a very high premium on the value of fathers.
This seems strange since every medical and psychological organization affirms the importance of a father’s role in the life of his family.
A simple search on the importance of fathers will reveal that involved dads increase their children’s chances at academic success, help promote healthy relationships with others as well as more stable future marriages, and encourage greater independence and risk-taking just to name a few benefits.
More importantly, the Bible places a high value on fatherhood. The importance of fatherhood stems from the nature of God Himself. God reveals Himself to us as Father (Isaiah 64:8; Galatians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:9). As our Father, he cares for our needs (Matthew 6:32), He gives us good things (Matthew 7:11), He provides for our future (1 Peter 1:4), and He holds us securely in His love (Romans 8:38-39). We find our identity as sons and daughters in our relationship to Him (John 1:12). Our lives are enriched in every way (blessed with every spiritual blessing) because of our Heavenly Father.
It is a high bar, a holy title, that we bear when we call ourselves, “Father.”
We are called not only to meet the physical needs of our family (1 Timothy 5:8), but also to provide spiritual leadership for our family (Ephesians 5:25; 6:4). When a father takes this mantel and humbly leads, his family is blessed! He sets the tone and trajectory for the entire household.
Fathers, let’s be men of PASSION, desiring God above all else. Let’s be men of COURAGE, rejecting passivity and accepting our God-given responsibilities. Let’s be men of SACRIFICE, denying ourselves so that we might love our family. And let’s be men of INTEGRITY, renouncing worldliness and fighting for holiness until the end. Show me a man of passion, courage, sacrifice and integrity and I’ll show you a man who is changing the world one person at a time.
I want to praise those men who are stepping up to this sacred calling of Godly fatherhood. I know you are not perfect, but you are pursuing the goal. Don’t give up. Don’t be discouraged. And, for sure, don’t listen to what our culture is saying! We need you now more than ever.
