Our Perfect Father
This past weekend Em and I loaded up the family and headed to Bend, OR for an annual family get-together. We essentially packed up our whole house, stuffed it in our mid-sized SUV, squeezed ourselves in the crevice’s and hit the road (praying that we didn’t forget any essential toddler stuffed animals or blankets.) There’s a fine balance to maintain in the world of our little humans, and traveling (while SO much fun) makes that balance even more tenuous. But, far more than that, what I actually find is that it brings out both the best and worst of myself as a dad. Away from the comforts of home, stuffed in the pressure chamber of a car hurtling towards the unknowns of camping with littles, my true colors come out. And it’s not always pretty. Needless to say – I did a lot of thinking this weekend about my perfect Father in heaven. Here’s some of my reflections:
Our Heavenly Father is Always Available.
Over the weekend, understandably, our girls stayed up late and woke up when the sun did, eager to greet the day and all it had in store. Me? Not so much. I would have much preferred to greet the sun when it had crested OVER the horizon. Thus, I had little to offer my early risers in those wee hours, except for some halfhearted book read-alouds and some under the breath groaning. My early morning parenthood is dismal at best. It makes me appreciate far more that my Father in heaven is always available. He’s never tired, nor does He grow weary of parenting. He greets the day far before I do, and He’s already prepared to walk me through it. He delights to tell me of His love through His Word, and to teach me and train me, no matter the hour.
Our Heavenly Father is Consistent in Discipline.
One of the most tricky things Em and I have found about travel with littles is that our normal routines don’t get packed with us in the car. Within a day or two we enter what many parents call “survival mode,” in which the demands of our little children are fulfilled with little to no resistance. You can call us softies if you’d like, but one can only take so much complaint when squished into 90 sq/ft for four hours. Besides, it’s fun on vacation to change it up – give the kids the sugar, let them watch another show in the car, etc. That is… until we get home. Then we pay for our lax in discipline. With God, there is no lax. He is consistent in disciplining us. He never promotes our bad behaviors, He always has our best interest in mind. He is planning for our futures, and working all the time to help us become more like Christ in His loving discipline towards us.
Our Heavenly Father Loves to Celebrate Us.
Today is our eldest daughter, Nora’s, fourth birthday. When we got home last night, Em and I knew that we’d have some work ahead of us to prepare the house to make the day special for her. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE to celebrate our girls. One of my deepest joys is to make sure my girls know how much me and their mom love them. But, after all the unpacking and wrangling of bedtime – I’d be lying if I said that I was thrilled to spend time decorating the house for a birthday. Yet, God our Father is ALWAYS keen to celebrate the milestones and victories of His children. He celebrates over His children by singing over them (Zeph. 3:17), rejoicing with His angels (Luke 15:10), and preparing a place and a table for them (Luke 14:3, Rev. 19:6-9).
Truly I have many shortcomings as a father. I know God is sanctifying me and Emily through parenthood (and many other means). And one of the ways He’s doing that is by helping me to see all the ways He is faithful as a perfect Father in heaven – always available in my needs, working to make me a better human, and celebrating my growth. I am so grateful with you, church, that in my weakness, my shortcomings, and my failures, He is strong, faithful, and unfailing.
In His Mercy,
Pastor Ryan A.