Father's Day - Will you be the reason for the celebration?

Wishing all the Fathers out there a Happy Father's Day. As a son, i thnk my father for bringing me up and taking care of me, though i could be a relentless pest. As a father, i'm thankful to God for my son and pray for wisdom to be a good dad like my Father has been to me.

Whenever i think of father's my thoughts go to the story of the prodigal son. This is a story most of us can relate to in some manner. We have passed through or are passing through the brash, young, know-what's-good-for-me son, or we might be the accomodating, feel-sorry-for-this kid dad or we might be the goody, self righteous, judgemental elder brother. What i wnt to focus on is the Father's heart.

A father's heart is a mixture of emotions as he plays out his role as the head of the family. He strives to provide for his family and rejoices in giving gifts to his children even if it means he has to sacrifice something. He is angry when his child disobey and rebel against him. He is sad when his experience and guidance is not heeded causing his child to fall. His love and forgiveness knows no end.

Don't you see the similarities between a father's heart and that of God? When God created man in His own image, He also created man with emotions that we might relate to God our Father. The Bible says in Romans 8:15 & 16, that by the Spirit of God, who convicts us of our sin and helps restore our relationship with God, we have been adopted as God's children and by Him we can call God, "Abba Father". 2 Corinthians 6:18 says, "I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave (sacrificed) His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"; 1 John 3:1 says "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, tht we should be called children of God". James 1:17 says," Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

I want to encourage you today. This Father's day will you come to the Father who has been waiting for you? Luke 15: 20 says, "But while he was a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Don't feel guilty about what you have done, our Father is full of compassion. In Psalms 36, we read, "Your love, Oh Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies!"

So come today, leave your troubles behind, come to your father for He has a feast prepared just for you and the heavens will rejoice because of you. Our Father will say " But we had to celebrate and be glad, because my son was dead and now he is alive again; he was lost but now he has been found!" (Luke 15:32)

Shalom!