When I was five years old, my dad took me to the Texas State Fair. I got my first taste of cotton candy and rode on lots of kiddie rides. I had my daddy all to myself that whole day. That was almost 80 years ago. As a memento of our day, he had this picture taken.
Last year on Father’s Day, my first waking thought was, “It’s Father’s Day.” Another thought followed quickly, “Well, that means nothing to me.” My dad passed away in 1997, and my husband in 2012.
I had no dad to celebrate. Then came a better thought: “But I do have a Father, and He is very much alive!”
Some of us had positive relationships with our earthly dads, leaving us with lots of pleasant memories. Others may have had dreadful experiences with their dads, or maybe no dad at all. But even really good dads sometimes fall short of what we want or need. They are human. They are not perfect.
However, this is not the case with God. One of my favorite worship songs is called Good, Good Father. The song begins by saying we hear many stories of what people think God is like. While there may be many opinions on His true nature, the Bible says we can know what He’s like by observing what Jesus was like. Jesus told His disciples, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” ( John 14:9).
The second verse portrays people searching for answers and points out that only God can give us the real answers. Our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need even before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8). The final verse expounds on God’s undeniable love and His unexplainable peace. To say He is a good, good Father is an understatement. I find it overwhelming to realize how intensely He desires us to deepen our relationship with Him, to draw closer, and get to know him better.
Regardless of whatever experience we had with our earthly fathers, they made mistakes. Our heavenly Father, however? His way is perfect (Psalm 18:30). He never falls short. He’s never too busy, out of town, or in a cranky mood. He is always available and always pleased with us.
This year on Father’s Day I plan to sit straight up in bed and say, “Good morning, Lord. Happy Father’s Day! Thank You for being such a good, good Father.”
If you would like to hear great teaching from the Bible about God the Father and His amazing love for you, come visit us at Charis Christian Church at 4811 E. Julep St., Unit 101, in Mesa. Sunday services begin at 10 a.m.