ODJ: oscar for fathers
January 15, 2011
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy (Psalm 68:5).
READ: Romans 8:12-17
James Cameron, of Avatar and Titanic fame, has reportedly said, “Anybody can be a father or a husband. There are only five people in the world who can do what I do, and I’m going for that.” It isn’t only Hollywood directors who succumb to the siren song of success. Clergymen also put ministry ahead of family. And even King David committed flagrant errors regarding marriage. He violated the Lord’s explicit command not to take many wives (Deuteronomy 17:17). It’s difficult to fulfill the unity intended in marriage or to spend quality time with your kids if you’re rationing time between multiple women (2 Samuel 3:2-5; 5:13; 11:27). David may have been a man “after [God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:22), but as a husband and father, he compels us to seek a better role model. In my own life, I was blessed with a great adoptive father who loved and provided for me and my brother. But for many, “Dad” is absent, or disengaged, or emotionally or physically abusive. Where are we to turn when our fathers abandon, fail, or wound us? For those who turn in faith to Jesus, we have this remarkable comfort: “Father to the fatherless,” sings the psalmist, “this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:5-6). And the apostle Paul elaborated, “You received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15). Abba is the Aramaic term for God the Father that conveys intimate trust and familiarity. Despite what Mr. Cameron says, it’s an unfathomable privilege to be a father—to enjoy the trust, mentorship, and intimacy intended for such a relationship. And God is our perfect example. He’s the one Father who will never let us down. —Tim Gustafson
Who are the role models in your life? Who sees you as a role model? In what ways can you be a better example to others?
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i have been blessed with good parenting and i thank God for it! But i dint realize earlier that people face such problems in their childhood with parents and encounter various problems until i joined my animation course where i came across these friends of mine with various family problems.. as i thought about it,i realized that maybe God has placed me where i am to know the precious gift i have and also esp. to pray for my non-christian friends…i hope they come to know about God and his love..please pray for them..thanks
Father’s heart absolutely needed for generation to generation, particularly many of youth are lost model of their father. So, let us pray together to let father’s heart turn to their children and the heart of the children turn to their fathers (Malachi 4,6)