A Father’s Example
There are three ways to view Father’s Day. One is to look at the father we had. Another is to look at the father he had. The third is to look at the father we are. Every man has a father-wound. All of our fathers have fallen short. All we like sheep have gone astray. There is only one father who is perfect…Our Heavenly Father.
Willie Naull’s daughter Lisa says that her father played professional basketball and then retired before she was born. Even though he was a consensus all American at UCLA, and an all star for the Boston Celtics, she never knew him as a basketball fan. To her, he was her gentle giant who led by example as a man of God. As a loving father, he taught her to train her beautiful voice to sing praise to God’s glory.
When Lisa was touring with a singing group in Southern California her son Jonathan was born and she became a single mom. She and her son moved in with her extended family. When Jonathan was three, Lisa sat down with her dad and asked him, “How can I raise this son without his father?” With her dad, she decided to raise her son according to God’s instruction “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Jonathan is only thirteen but he wanted to share an essay he wrote about his grandfather’s example. He asks, “what does it mean to be a man?” Why is there so much confusion in our culture about the meaning of manhood? Our culture is confused because the world cannot not define a man’s purpose. Only God, the master designer can define the purpose for which he’s created us. It takes a lifetime of faith and commitment to understand God’s definition of a man and to grow into God’s purpose. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. Faith is confidence in our Heavenly Father according to His Word.
God designed men to protect their loved ones. A real man trusts God to provide for himself and his family emotionally, financially, physically and most of all spiritually. A man is called to serve those God has called him to love. Loving others is defined by the love of God.
God calls a man to seek the Lord in all things. The challenge everyday is to live the love of God in everything we think, do , and say. According to the charity checklist in 1 Corinthians 13, Love suffers long and is kind, is never boastful or proud, is never rude, never selfish. Love is not easily irritated, is never resentful, and never keeps a record of wrongs done. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. When we were little children we spoke and understood like children. But when we become men, we put away childish things. God allows us to see glimpses of truth reflected in an unpolished mirror, but when Christ returns, we shall see him and know as he is. Then we shall know him face to face.
Jonathan’s grandfather Willie showed him the love of his Heavenly Father by his own example of love and nurture. To be a man is to understand what it means to protect, serve, love and believe. The fight is the good fight of faith. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places. The conclusion in 1 Corinthians 15 is: “be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Pete reminds us that every man has a father wound. Many men don’t know how to show affection. However, Men need affectionate hugs and tugs from their dads.
The twenty third Psalm is an illustration of our Heavenly Father as the ideal father. He leads us like a shepherd and allows us to lie down in the peace of his presence beside the still waters. He guides us in the paths of righteousness. As men we’re challenged to remember what our fathers taught us and how they loved us.
We’re comforted by our heavenly Father’s rod and his staff. He corrects us and disciplines us because he loves us. Although it hurts to be straightened, correction through chastisement means to restore to an upright position.
Because He comforts and shepherds us, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This Father’s Day and every day may we abide in our Heavenly Father’s love, That we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael