Father’s Day 2011 has come and gone. It was a great day in our household, with the family gathered together for good food and fun…one of our better ones, I might add!
As the day comes to a close, I’m reminiscent of my own father, who nearly a decade ago quietly entered eternal rest after nearly nine decades of abundant life. I’m grateful for my dad, who sacrificially provided for his family and raised us in many great ways. My siblings and I are close today, and often look back with fondness to our upbringing.
My father and I were/are very imperfect dads. We have many tangible and intangible gifts to offer our children, but also lots of flaws, idiosyncrasies, and deficiencies. However, we’ve given it our best shot as husbands and fathers in our households. I trust my children will remain thankful for the good and forgive me for the rest. It’s been an awesome ride so far!
I suppose a growing awareness of my own imperfections make me all the more grateful for my completely perfect Heavenly Father. My favorite image of Father God is as a Prodigal God, waiting on the porch of heaven for us to come to our senses and head back home. I absolutely love the image of the Father running compassionately in the direction of the Prodigal Son, fully prepared to welcome him home. He embraces his son, kisses him, puts a robe over his shoulders, a ring on his finger, sandals on his feet, skewers a fatted calf, throws a party in his behalf, and celebrates his son’s homecoming. Luke 15: 11-32 leaps off the pages of Holy Scripture and lands squarely in my heart each time I read it!
When others in the body of Christ are dismissing the significance of God as Father, I not only bristle at such a thought, but stand in defense of a Trinitarian understanding of God, FATHER, Son and Holy Spirit. As a child of God, the image of a loving, steadfast, true, gracious, forgiving, redeeming, almighty God is what I long to embody myself. How else will I grow to become more like Him unless the Father is Who I seek to emulate? Like Father Like Son (or Daughter)…that’s how I want to be known and remembered. How about you?
