Gtcotr/ss061619
How
many of you know this guy?
Of
course … its Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine.
How
about this guy? Anyone know him?
Oh
come on … you all know him … It’s Jackson Haines, the
Father of Modern Figure Skating.
He
is the inventor of the “sit-spin” and the “International Style” competition
skating. This is the type of skating we enjoy in the Olympics today with its graceful
ballet type dancing on ice set to music.
He
began his career as a ballet dancer, which might not have ever even been
possible had it not been for Marius:
Marius Petipa … the Father of Classical Ballet. Here he is again …
He
got older … and a lot better looking. Guess it was all that ballet’ing.
Well
by now you’ve realized that we are focusing on Fathers. Of course we are …
today is Father’s Day in the United States, a day in which we set aside time to
appreciate and celebrate our fathers.
There
are so many fathers:
·
From
Father Abraham, our Father of Faith to
·
The
Founding Fathers of America.
·
From
the Father of Basketball to
·
The
Fathers of the Atomic Bomb
·
There
are even Fictional Fathers
o Father Time
o Father Christmas
Wikipedia
has a list of more than 200 men recognized as fathers of something from the
arts to transportation. There’s even a Father of Wi-Fi,
Vic Hayes … here’s a picture of him at
75 years of age …
I
know we all appreciate him and his efforts to pioneer the 802.11g opportunities
we were freely given. That’s what fathers are supposed to do … they make life
better.
Yay
Vic! He’s still rocking on so feel free to send him a text of appreciation –
just send it anywhere by WIFI – surely, he will get it since he’s the father.
Fathers
… we expect so much from fathers. But what really is a father? Given all of the
fathers we have in history it seems that a father is perhaps best described as
a Progenitor – Someone who begins, originates,
founds, births or accepts the care of something or someone else.
Under
this definition, there are Biological Fathers; Adoptive Fathers; Foster
Fathers; Spiritual Fathers and Father Figures, all of which are due some amount
of appreciation and honor. Some fathers adopt or foster the care of those in
need. These fathers are champions and heroes indeed. In other wonderful moments,
those in need adopt their own father figures to look up to and honor. It’s a great and unselfish act to adopt a child but most
would agree, it’s a much-welcomed miracle for a child to adopt you back.
God,
of course, is the ultimate Father. When God could have introduced and likened
Himself to anything whatsoever, from fire to lightening, He chose the image of
a Father. God chose to be a Father and He wants to adopt you into His family
however, He has left that decision up to you. If you chose Him … the
relationship is bound by His covenant and can never be broken. (Romans 8:15;
Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5)
It
is God’s hope that all fathers would pattern themselves after Him. However, not
every father is a model father. When being a father, we should strive to be
like God. When choosing fathers, we should Choose
Wisely.
John 8
37 “I know that you are
Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in
you.
38 “I speak what I have seen
with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to
Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s
children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 “But now you seek to kill
Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do
this.
41 “You do the deeds of your
father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one
Father — God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If
God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from
God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 “Why do you not understand
My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 “You are of your
father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is
no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.
What
do we learn from these verses concerning fatherhood?
1.
Fatherhood is more than a mere biological connection. (v.37)
2.
You will speak the words and do the works of your father. (vs.38-41)
3.
We are never alone when we have a loving father. (vs.42-45)
a.
So, I encourage you to choose wisely …
b.
Far too many life-long problems stem from
unresolved “daddy issues”. (That’s a subject for another day.)
c.
God wants to be your forever Father …
d.
Who we allow to influence and father us is
our choice.
e.
Choose wisely … because
f.
There’s nothing more important than a loving,
caring and giving father.
g.
You can embrace God as your Father today.
To
the fathers who have chosen us and to those fathers we have chosen for
ourselves, God bless you – we thank you and we honor you. May you always know
just how much we appreciate you caring enough to show us the right way and to
lead us by your example.
Happy Father’s Day!!!
