The Preeminent Father

 

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. Psalm 68:5 

 

Divorce was in full force during the time I was growing up. About half of my friends were like me–children without fathers in the picture. I had several stepfathers, but my biological father was not around. Thankfully there were godly men in the church I grew up in that provided a template of what good men were like. But I was fatherless like many others in my generation.   

 

Too many boys and girls have grown up with missing fathers. It is a shame that it has affected generations doing untold damage to ideas of manhood for boys and missing examples of how a proper loving husband acts for girls. It is not a surprise that our culture is a mess when it comes to ideas of the roles of men and women, marriage, and how society should function with a self-sacrificing godly man as an example to the family.  

 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Ephesians 5:25-28 

 

The example for all men is Jesus. God will hold men accountable. Too often we see women holding the family together, running the household, and carrying the full responsibility for raising and caring for children. Too many men have abdicated their responsibilities.  

 

As I said, Jesus is an example to all of us. I knew at a young age that I had no clue how to be a husband and father. So, I went to my heavenly Father in prayer and asked Him to help me become both. God has been a Father to me throughout my life. Giving me the knowledge through His Word and Spirit how to act and correcting me when I got off track. I’ve not been either a perfect husband or father. But by the grace of God and His continued help my wife and I have been married thirty-nine years this year, and we have raised an awesome daughter. I give God and my wife the credit. Anything good I have done is because of my heavenly Father’s help. 

 

You may not have a father around for one reason or another, but you do have a heavenly Father. God is the preeminent Father. The Father of us all. He helps the fatherless and all who call upon Him for help. Some people have had a father in their life, yet that father may have had serious shortcomings. No matter the case, we all have a good Father to look up to and learn from. 

 

Jesus was kind, generous, forgiving, and loving. He was gentle and patient. He was also tough and faced his enemies with boldness and courage. The old Anglo-Saxons of England had a poem called “The Rood” where they portray Christ as a warrior stepping up to the cross. Jesus encompassed all of the qualities and goodness of manhood and of an Awesome God. He was everything men should aspire to. 

 

No matter our age we all need the heavenly Father. Thankfully He is there for us, as close as a prayer, and He has promised to dwell with those who place their faith in Him. Talk to your heavenly Father daily. Share your life with Him. Do not neglect a Father who is so close at hand. 

 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for being a Father to the fatherless, and the heavenly Father of us all. Amen.