A Father for Ever
December 16, 2011
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
I was twenty-seven years old when my father died. He had been sick for quite a while and had truly “fought the good fight” trying to get better so he could live. He even relearned the alphabet and his numbers after a stroke robbed his brain of the ability to conduct these elementary tasks. But like the rest of us, he was not and could not be eternal. He was human and he was a good father to me.
My memories are typical for a child of the late sixties. My mother was the housewife back when “housewife” wasn’t considered a demeaning term and my father worked for an insurance company. He wore a suit and tie everyday and came home every evening lugging his worn out briefcase stuffed to overflowing with policies and renewal papers. Every Sunday morning, I would show off my “Sunday best” to him and every Sunday afternoon, he would nap in his chair. My dad was well known around our small town and loved by many. Even now, sixteen years after his passing, when I go back to Mississippi, I can identify myself to people as his daughter and I am instantly rewarded with a smile and a recollection. Sometimes people will tell me a funny story about him.
After my father died, I was faced with numerous changes in my life – those brought on by the death of the family patriarch and those brought on by job changes and other decisions. It was then I came face to face with learning to relate to God as Father. How comforting to turn to God and learn I could cry to Him, “Abba, Father”. It must have been quite a shock to the people within the sound of Isaiah’s voice to hear the Messiah would be the Everlasting Father. This brought the concept of His coming home to their hearts. Father… figuratively the name means benevolence and protection. They could await this coming King envisioning the compassion and guidance a wise father brings to a family.
Though we don’t often think of Jesus as Father, He actually makes the point very clearly in John 14 with these words, “He who seen Me has seen the Father.” That entire chapter is filled with examples of how God and Jesus prepare for us, protect us, and provide us with help when we need it. No matter your experience with your earthly father, you have a heavenly Father Who can keep His promise and Who loves you with an unending Eternal love. (CT)
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves ME, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” John 14:23