As I've looked through pictures the past few days, I've had lots of memories jogging around in my brain...picture that, "jogging"!! :) My oldest daughter had a birthday this week, which always prompts my rummaging through my disheveled drawers of pictures to see and remember way back when...in this case 26 years of memories and thoughts. And, of course, today is "Father's Day", the day we remember the men who God picked out to help bring us into this world, and some who "fathered" in other ways.
And in this world of technology (which I love by the way) it's very easy to hear/see what others are saying about their "hero" Dad or "my best friend dad" and feel "less than" because we believe lies, basically!! Although many earthly father's have exhibited love and care to their earthly children, they are all flawed, broken, sinful and have sin habits. Here are some things I KNOW to be true:
1. There is only ONE good and perfect Father and that is God. No matter what you read or perceive about someone's earthly father, they are sinful and have sinned against their children in more ways than one...face it folks...this is TRUE, we know this!! Don't believe that lie...believe the Gospel...ALL have sinned, none is righteous (save Jesus).
2. We humans are very MAN centered...we honor earthly men and women and forget that IF they have been kind, loving and healed from the wounds they were dealt as children themselves so that they are ABLE to love with abandon, that is God's grace in their lives and ours!!
3. We, just as our first parents Adam and Eve, HIDE...all.the.time. We hide what is wrong in our own hearts, we hide what goes on in our families (out of a sense of I don't know what, pride is my first thought, but figure that our by looking into your own heart). Our motives seem to be pure, we praise our people (mom, dad, children, grandchildren, husband, wife, brother, whoever) because we LOVE them and want to honor them...and that's good!! BUT, remember, the people are just people. Don't ever forget WHY they are able to do anything that resembles good, because of God's grace...grace in them being born to parents who knew how to love and had knowledge and wisdom...or grace in God revealing truth to their hearts so they could learn how to love and care, or God's grace they were never seriously wounded by their people or if they were, God's grace enabling them to heal from those wounds and love you and others well. God does all those things. It is of Him that we live and move and have our being...let's not forget that!!
OUR lives and the lives of our family and friends are all of grace.
It all comes from Him.
So on this day of honoring Father's, let's not forget the ONE Father, God our creator,
who has enabled any human Father who has done well and good, the grace to do so!!
The GIVER of our gifts is worthy of our praise and adoration!!
who has enabled any human Father who has done well and good, the grace to do so!!
The GIVER of our gifts is worthy of our praise and adoration!!
Happy Father's Day!! From one blessed daughter!!
