Celebrate fathers taking their role seriously. Not perfect, but present.
Growing in understanding their children. Practicing faithfulness and courage.
Celebrate fathers who seek the Lord for wisdom instead of giving up.
Who say or demonstrate, “I love you.”
Freely. Without condition.
Farewell
In January, my dad’s final hospital stay was in a shared room. A curtain separated him from the man in the next bed.
While Dad was mainly silent, in and out of consciousness, his neighbor often called out. Shouting names of family members, asking them to come help him—not fully aware of why he was in a hospital bed.
My husband arrived on a Saturday and spent time at Dad’s bedside to say farewell. Todd began thanking Dad for being such a faithful man—a good father and father-in-law and grandfather. He recounted some examples of that. Then ended by saying, “I love you, Dad.”
Dad was unresponsive at the time. But from behind the dividing curtain we heard, loud and clear, “I LOVE YOU, TOO!”
I love you
Well, Todd and I got tickled. I’m pretty sure Dad would have gotten a good laugh over that if he’d been aware.
Later it hit me. It was like God gave a voice to Dad’s love for Todd. How he would’ve responded if he could.
And God blessed the other patient with a message that man probably needed to hear.
A few days later as I sat by his hospital bed, I heard Dad’s last words to me. They came in a whisper. Soft but sure.
“I love you.”
Brokenness
I know some who read this cannot celebrate Father’s Day. A faithful or present dad is foreign to your own experience.
Maybe your father has never said or demonstrated, “I love you.”
Brokenness affects parents and children and families all over the world.
But all of us can celebrate our heavenly Father.
Our Father
Our God is a good, good Father. He sent His Son to save us from sin that hurts and devastates and destroys.
When we repent and believe this gospel, He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
He never lets us go.
He says “I love you.” Again and again.
He is worthy of our celebration and praise.
What about you?
How has the Father revealed His love to you?
Related
Home – Helpless? – Giving – The long obedience – No ordinary life – Sorting memories – Father’s Day – Exiles – John 3:16 – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – Colossians 3:12-17 – Colossians 3:21 – Ephesians 6:4 –