A Father’s Duty
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Father’s Day is just got over and I reflected on what it meant to be a dad from a Biblical perspective. Through the Old testament we see how the heroes of the Bible referred to God as Lord and King but it was with Jesus that He was first referred to as the Father. This was a radical belief back then and still continues to keep us curious and engaged as it is really mysterious to us on what God being the Father entails.
We often humanize God with earthly qualities like love, anger and jealously. As God is not restricted by time and space, those qualities often enter the human realm and we feel God is turned off and on by our actions and carries those emotions.
Think for a moment, He is the alpha and omega and knows everything in between so that question is didn’t He already know that you err and make mistakes?
That is why Jesus had to come and tell us that He loves us regardless of your mistakes of the past and He knows as long as you lean on Him, you will do fine.
The primary motive that drives many fathers today is doing what is right for their family. How do we know what is right and wrong especially when we are bound by time? Let me share a few thoughts….
Doing what is RIGHT
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him — James 1:5
When you dont know what to do, what do you do? Ask Him! Not to your best friend, or boss, or a prophet but God himself! Because the Bible says “ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” — 1 Cor 1: 25
God’s wisdom is always to be experienced first hand. Experience in the Bible is the Greek word “Ginosko”, which mean “experiential knowledge”. It is the intimate experience that a married man has with his wife during intercourse.
Ps 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
The Bible says, “Taste and See”
It did not say “See and then Taste”.
“We eat with our eyes first before we put the food on our tongue” — Bishop Dale Bronner
It is not easy because it requires one to believe and trust the one who is feeding you.
I have had the experience myself. I recall when I asked my Dad to taste Durian for the first time. I would say “Close your eyes and have a taste”
Why do we behave that way? Because we often let our senses determine what is good for us.
What was my motivation? Because I want my dad to experience what I’ve experienced and the Lord wants us to feel the same as well.
The Holy Spirit says the Lord is good and always wants to offer me good things. — James 1:17
That is why the Bible says we live by Faith and not by Sight
We often make decision by what we see that is why we have to become “Do-ers of the Word”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, [a]“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” — John 20: 27–29
What if it is too late?
We often blame God while experiencing a hardship, but often from the mistakes and we make things messy, God is never offended by all our verbal abuse and grumbling, and He can make your failure a success.
God shows His generosity and His patience when you are still sinning, that is His Goodness. But do not underestimate this, for all this must lead to repentance.
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? — Romans 2: 4
Do not take lightly of the the length, breadth, height and depth of God’s love.
It is the goodness of God that makes a person repent, not vengeance. You need to pray with your heart and right goals, ask and show God’s goodness in your prayers.
There are so many Word of God that for us it may be impossible to do and being a Father the responsibilities of doing what is right is even more important, but when you have experienced it yourself and not through second hand revelation and tasted the goodness of God (ginosko), you will understand that the Lord is good!
