Thought for the week - w/b 16th June

Thought of the Week- 16^th. June 2024-written by Clement Arde-Acquah

“The Lord carried you, as a father carries his son (Deuteronomy 1:29–31)”

On the 16^th of June, 2024, men here in the UK. are celebrated as fathers therefore children will be giving thanks and appreciation to their earthly fathers: for their love, guidance and for being rocks on which they turn to, in time of distresses.  Celebrating fathers this day also calls on all of us as children to critically examine ourselves to see, if we are treating our fathers with love and are living up to their expectations.

 Fathers’ Day however, has deeper dimension in that, we are called to think about our Heavenly Father who is God- our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, by whose very breath gives  us our lives. This day also calls on us to think of a Father, who neither sleeps nor slumbers, who gave himself fully by the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ, that, we might have life and have it to the full. A Father like this ought to be well celebrated and be celebrated every day, but I wonder how many of us will be thinking on this day of our Heavenly Father as we celebrate our earthly fathers? If even we do, are we giving Him the thanks and praise He deserves? Do we celebrate our Heavenly Father with presents and thanks, as some will celebrate their earthly fathers this “Father’s Day”?

I hope we remember our Heavenly Father does not want any presents or gifts from us, all He desires from us is our “obedience” (1 Sam 15:22). Obedience along with prayer, studying and living out God’s word every day, praising and worshipping Him always, are the keys to a good relationship with our Heavenly Father.

I would like at this point to a few of men in the Bible who can help us in our roles as earthly fathers: the first is Abraham. Abraham was strong in his faith in God and became the father to Isaac. He was obedient to God even to the point of being ready to sacrifice this son Isaac to God but God intervened, making Abraham live to become the “father of many nations”.

 A second father we can think of this day is: David- King of Israel. David failed and made many mistakes as an earthly father in instances like: his son Adonijah trying to usurp his throne while David was on his death bed (1. Kings 2:10-23), his son Amnon raping his half-sister Tamar (2 Sam 13:11-14) and his son Absalom, sleeping with David concubines and trying to take his father's throne (2 Sam. 18: 14-15)-  all these events with David doing nothing to punish his children because of his love for them; David was called a man after “God’s own heart” (1 Sam 13:14). He was blessed, was a good leader of Israel, and it was out his bloodline that our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world.

Lastly, the Parable of the Prodigal son (with our Lord Jesus Christ symbolising the father) in Luke 15:20, gives us the qualities of a good father. The good father was compassionate, ready and happy to forgive his wayward child, loving, happy to hug and kiss his child, holding no grudges and never allowing pain and frustration to overpower his love for his child. This Parable teaches us also that, a good father should provide wisdom and guidance for the child, provide protection for the child and more importantly, lead the child in their faith to God ,as God is our everlasting and eternal father whose love is perfect. Hopefully as earthly fathers we will try and adopt some of the aforementioned qualities and for us as children as well, we will be obedient always to our earthly fathers and in God’s strength, keep and continue to keep the fifth commandment that of: “honouring our fathers and mothers, so that it may go well for us”.

Brethren, as we celebrate this Father Day, let the words of Deuteronomy 1:29-31- that “a good father should carry his child as the Lord carries us” be always on our mind in Jesus name. Amen.

Prayer: Loving God, we give you thanks for being our Heavenly and loving Father, whose love endures forever. We give you thanks for being a Father who loves us is so much that, you offered your only son Jesus to die for us. Help us always to be obedient in our words and action towards You.

Thank you for our earthly fathers who we celebrate this week.  We thank you for doing their, love, support and care. May our fathers be true disciples for us and may our relationship be godly and draw us all to You Heavenly Father, now and always. Amen.