I’ve always felt a little awkward on Father’s Day; it’s what I imagine Jews feel like on Christmas – just a little out-of-place. It looks like a wonderful celebration: the neighborhood packed with cars of families returning to their childhood homes, the smell of charcoal and barbecue sauce assaulting our privacy fence in all directions, the faint sounds of laughter and classic rock wafting through the windows… I just feel like I’m missing out.
Whether Father’s Day is a happy day or a sad day for you, it’s important to understand that all parents fail in one way or another. Whether that is the pressure to perform, withholding I love you’s, missing important events, or simply never sitting down to truly know you, we all have to accept that our parent’s are not perfect. And through that realization, we can also begin to understand how perfect our God is.
God is the ultimate example of a perfect parent (both masculine and feminine). He is a “father to the fatherless”. (Psalm 68:5) And not only for those who don’t have parents or who have lost parents, but He is there to fill in the gaps where our parents have failed us. For better or worse our own parents are our first exposure to parenthood and thus set the blueprints for how we view being a parent. With that in mind what exactly is your picture of a parent or of a father? And more importantly how does that project onto your views of The Father?
I’ve had to go gangbusters on my view of a father and dive into the scripture to understand what it means to be a Dad. (see my life 1988-1998. ick) But here is a verse I have written on my wall that I look at as often as possible:
Matthew 3:17 “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
God is the kind of parent who loves you more than you could possibly understand. He is not a bearded old man who picks on your every mistake and keeps record of your every transgression, He is there with open arms holding you inside a bear hug telling you son, I am so proud of you, I could not possibly love you more or less.
Re-reading that verse today I wrote a new song this morning to celebrate Father’s Day, both our father’s on earth and our Father in heaven. (check out the lyrics below)
You Are My Son (c)2012 Sam Eaton
Child, wipe those tears from your beautiful eyes, this pain’s just for a little while. Come sit with me and forget all the lies, this world tells you to hide your smile.
Child, don’t conform to the ways of this earth, you’re made to shine just like the stars. And when you lose your way and forget what your worth, Look up and remember who you are.
You are my son, whom I love, Whom I am infinitely proud of. You are my son, whom I love, Nothing that you ever do, Could change my boundless love for you, You are my son.
Child, I can’t wait for you to be home, and run into these loving arms. Until that day, know you’re never alone, I’m here to remind you, who you are.
You are my son, whom I love, Whom I am infinitely proud of. You are my son, whom I love, Nothing that you ever do, Could change my boundless love for you, You are my son.
God has boundless love for you. He knows you by name. He is infinitely proud of your every accomplishment and ready to carry you when you’re feeling crushed by the weight of this world. He loves you for exactly who you are. I like this picture of a father and that’s who I aspire to be with all my heart.
I pray for you this week as you think about what your father wounds are and about what you picture a parent to be. If you are a parent I pray for the incredible patience and love it takes to do your very best in preparing that young person for this world. For the first Father’s Day in a long time I feel pretty good, because I trust my perfect Dad in heaven. (okay, okay that was a little cheesy. It’s fine.)
Happy Father’s Day Everyone.
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