I Have A Father!

People think of different things when they hear the word ‘father,’ depending on each person’s experience of what a father has been to them. I have discovered that the word ‘father’ is not neutral; it can have either a positive or negative connotation depending on each person’s experience. Our Earthly Fathers I am fortunate to have had a wonderful father. He loved, encouraged, and believed in me. Some days I felt he loved me more than my siblings; on other days, I felt he loved everyone else more than he loved me. In hindsight, he loved all of us in a very balanced way and had a way to make each person feel special. Kudos to him. Growing up as a young girl, my father's influence on my life’s outlook was significant. I can still picture him playing with us, telling us stories, laughing, correcting us and working hard to provide for us. His presence was an indispensable part of our home, and his words of wisdom had a strong influence on my life. For some of us, the subject of fatherhood brings thoughts of joy, love, acceptance, and warmth because our fathers love(d) us, and we love(d) them. However, I am not unaware that fatherhood is more difficult for others as their fathers were men who did not know how to love or treat their children well. In some cases, too, fathers were absent in their children's lives due to death, divorce, work pressure, and a myriad of reasons. The absence of a father often has an indelible impact on children. Studies repeatedly show that children without fathers positively present in the home suffer greatly. Former President George W. Bush even addressed the issue while in office, stating, “Over the past four decades, fatherlessness has emerged as one of our greatest social problems. We know that children who grow up with absent fathers can suffer lasting damage. They are more likely to end up in poverty or drop out of school, become addicted to drugs, have a child out of wedlock, or end up in prison. Fatherlessness is not the only cause of these things, but our nation must recognize it is an important factor.” Individuals create different coping mechanisms to deal with the pain caused by a poor fatherhood experience. God offers healing and a warm embrace for those who seek and find Him. Our Heavenly Father God, the Father, is a title given to God in various religions, most prominently in Christianity. In mainstream trinitarian Christianity, God, the Father, is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity, followed by the second Person, God, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the third Person, God, the Holy Spirit. Since the second century, Christian creeds included affirmation of belief in “God the Father (Almighty)”, primarily as his capacity as “Father and creator of the universe”. No matter our relationship with our earthly fathers, we can have a positive relationship with our Heavenly Father. This book is about the One Jesus referred to as “My Father” fifty-three times in the Gospels. And when Jesus talked about the Father, He did not just call Him “My Father.” He also called God “Our Father” twenty-one times in the Gospels. Jesus models us that those who believe in Him share the same relationship with God that He has. Interestingly, Jesus calls God “your Father” twenty-one times in the Gospels as well! W. Tozer proposed this statement, “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What comes into your mind when you think about God? What is He like? Do you see Him as a Father? Do you see Him as your Father? Which of His characteristics pop into your mind first? How do you think He feels about you? How do you believe He acts toward you? Jesus taught His disciples, and by extension, we Christians, to address God as “our Father in heaven.” Consistent with Jesus’ teachings, Christians often use the endearing word “Father” when speaking to or about God. One of the creeds in Christian history (Nicene Creed) begins with the phrase, “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.” This simple affirmation carries several essential truths. I read an article by Tim Keller that shows seven breathtaking privileges of being a child of God, as set out by Paul in his letter to the Romans. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:14-17 (NLT).” Tim Keller’s article explicitly points out the following privileges. 1. Security, we are not to fear. 2. Authority, we have the status of “sonship.” 3. Intimacy, we can confidently call Him “Abba.” 4. Assurance, God’s Spirit assures us that we are God’s children.” 5. Inheritance, as God’s children, we are His heirs” 6. Discipline, “… we must also share His suffering “ 7. Family likeness, as joint heirs with Christ, we get to suffer like He suffered. The book you are reading is a compilation of anecdotes, reflections, and experiences of God as my (our) Heavenly Father. If you do not already, I hope that after reading this book, you can you can confidently declare, as I have boldly declared that “I have a Father.” I am not a perfect child, but I have a perfect Father who loves me (and you) perfectly. If for any reason you are feeling weary, distant from God, anxious or uncertain about your relationship with God as a Father, please read on. You will find inspiration, hope, and comfort in the pages of this book.