He was adamant, “I am going to be a better dad than my old man was for me!” His dad had not been very supportive of his interests growing up and never made any of his football or baseball games through high school.
As life caught up with him, the young man had a newfound respect for how hard his dad worked to keep food on the table and the lights on in the house. Dads that work to ‘overcome’ perceived shortfalls of their fathers often get a reality check at some point. The same thing can happen to men that had great dads that they try to emulate. The challenge is to get to know the perfect Father.
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:14. The Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob spoke to Moses. Jesus answered, “Don’t you know Me Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” – John 14:9. Through Jesus we are reconnected to the Father. The relationship broken in the garden of Eden is restored by the grace of God as we trust in His Son Jesus the Christ. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves again to fear; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship, and by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” – Romans 8:15. Paul makes it abundantly clear that through Jesus the Christ we are adopted into God’s family. We are children of our heavenly Father, heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus the Christ (Rom.8:16-17). Wow! What a revelation! The earthly father and father-figures that have come in and out of our lives are all part of God’s plan to shape and mold us into exactly what He wants each of us to become – sons of His raising a generation that knows him as Father. Nothing is happenstance with God. Whether you had a great dad or never knew your dad, you can look to the heavenly Father to discern how He has been working to make you uniquely His. In his Truth for Life devotional, Alistair Begg has written, “The Bible is the story not only of salvation but also the unfolding of God’s character.” In my reading of Scripture, I have certainly found this to be the case. I have been blessed to have several father-figures step up as powerful influences from my teen-years into adulthood that I would try to emulate. All were very unique characters, some good and others not as good. As I continue to read Scripture and get to know my heavenly Father, I realize only He is the perfect Father and He is the One I should strive to emulate. Specifically, He has charged me to emulate His triune nature by prioritizing my physical presence in the home, engaging emotionally with my wife and kids and leading spiritually by example in family.
Enable strong relationships between Young Dads and the Father. I encourage you to:
- Watch this video – A Search for Dad;
- Read the gospel of John, a chapter a day;
- Start a fathering movement in your church. Click HERE for info.
Prayer guide: Lord, thank You for Your Word and for being my Father. I confess I allowed myself to be under the influence of worldly father-figures that turned my focus from You instead of pointing to You. Forgive me. Help me be a faithful father that knows You, emulates You and points to You in all I do. That is the dad You call me to be and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.
A faithful father knows, emulates and points to the Father.
