Our Dad & Our Heavenly Father
“But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ,
we ourselves have also been found sinners,
is Christ then a minister of sin?
May it never be!
For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
For through the Law I died to the Law,
So that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me
and gave Himself up for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if righteousness comes through the Law,
then Christ died needlessly.”
(Galatians 2:17-21)
Today is Father’s Day, a day we honor our earthly dads. Truthfully, if we have a “show-up” kind of dad, then we need more than one national day to pay tribute to our dad. In preparing for this Sunday lunch, I pondered who would sit at my lunch table today after our church attendance.
My Husband (my daughter’s earthly dad).
My Daughter (home for a visit).
My Mom.
My Younger Sister and Her Husband (my brother-in-law).
My Husband’s Younger Sister and Her Boyfriend.
My Brother-in-Law’s Dad.
The one missing—my earthly dad. As I contemplate the years that have passed by since my dad was instantly killed during a farming accident, I also considered the teachings of my earthly dad and how they aligned with those of my heavenly Father. Hopefully, you too, can look at your earthly dad today and consider a similar comparison. See with me this list of qualities of a dad.
- Do Not Hit Your Siblings.
- Do Not Storm off to Your Bedroom.
- Do Not Slam the Doors.
- Do Not Shun Hard Work Because I Will Work Beside You.
- Do Not Sleep In When There Is Work to be Accomplished.
- Do Not be So Serious When There Is Fun to be Made.
- Do Not Forget the Teachings & Lessons I Have Taught.
Seriously, I could go on, listing more teachings I received from my earthly dad, and as I listed these seven lessons, I considered how they align with the lessons of my Heavenly Father.
(Now, my earthly dad was the “most human” man I know, and maybe your dad is like my dad, and even in their “humanness,” still there are comparisons we can make to Almighty God. To be honest, this brings me such peace on this day—Father’s Day.)
In reading God’s Holy Word I found myself reading a psalm of King David. This particular psalm brought me directly back to the list of seven qualities just listed.
See With Me Psalm 30.
“Hear, O LORD [Father God],—God is GOD, and we are not!
and be gracious to me [Your child];—God is our Father & We are His children (family!).
O LORD [Father God],—God is everywhere; every place; & sees ALL we do & do not do!
Be my helper [Father God].—God equips us & He goes with us, as He sends us.
You [Father God] have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You [Father God] have loosed my sackcloth
and [You, Father God] have girded me with gladness,—God brings joy to our days.
That my soul may sing praise to You [Father God]—God continually teaches us, as we go.
and not be silent [of singling daily praises to You—Father God].
O LORD my [Father and] God,
I will give thanks to You [Father God] forever.—Continually, our God is faithful to His promises.
(Psalm 30: 10-12)
Thank You, Father God, for giving to us earthly dads who teach us lessons that we need to learn.
Thank You, Father God, for gifting us with earthly dads who know You as their Father.
Thank You, Father God, for turning all of our mourning into dancing.
Thank You, Father God, for clothing us with Your righteousness.
- Help us remember, Father God, that we are Yours & (as such), we are crucified with YOU.
- Help us to be mindful of our sins against YOU.
- Help us to die to the Law and live for YOU.
- Help us remember that it is YOU, Father God, who lives within us daily & forevermore.
- Help us walk in this flesh and help us walk closely beside YOU.
- Help us walk in faith to YOU.
- Help us never forget that it was YOUR ONLY SON YOU gave to die for us so that we might live.
- Thank You, Father God, for YOUR AMAZING GRACE!
- Thank You, Father God for YOUR ROBE of RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Happy Father’s Day to all our earthly dads.
Happy Father’s Day to our Heavenly Father who forevermore holds onto us.
Let us be lift our hands in praise to Almighty God for all the blessings HE provides.