'I truly thank God for my dad'
COMMENTARY
REV. STEVE DAVIS
As we get ready to celebrate Father's Day, we should take time to thank God for fathers. I truly thank God for my dad. He has gone on to be with the Lord, but I am still known by many as Don Davis' son. Like all men, he was not perfect, but I am grateful for all that he did for me. I thank God for his hard work and the sacrifices he made to ensure that our family was cared for and protected.
I thank God for the values he instilled in me and the lessons and skills he taught me that have shaped my character and helped me navigate life. Looking back, I can even thank God for the discipline he gave me.
I am a very fortunate man because I had a father who loved Jesus and sincerely sought to be a godly dad. My hope and prayer is that my daughters will one day be able to say the same about me.
One of God's gifts in fatherhood is that earthly fathers are meant to point us toward our Heavenly Father. God created the family so that our earthly relationships help us understand divine truth.
Though no earthly father is perfect, we do have a perfect Heavenly Father. In my own life, my relationship with my dad helped me better understand God's love, guidance, and care for me. Because of my dad, it was easier for me to grasp how deeply my Heavenly Father loves His children.
I also recognize that Father's Day can be difficult for many people. Some have experienced the loss of a father through death. Others have known the pain of an absent father who chose not to be involved in their lives. Still others grew up with fathers who were distant, harsh, or even abusive. If that is your story, God's Word offers hope. Psalm 27:10 says, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me."
The Lord is the perfect Father. He is present when others leave. He is faithful when others fail. He loves when others wound. He welcomes the fatherless, cares for the brokenhearted, and promises never to leave nor forsake His children.
So, this Father's Day, whether your earthly father was wonderful, absent, or somewhere in between, remember this: there is a Heavenly Father whose love never fails, whose presence never leaves, and whose arms are always open to those who trust in Him. And for that, we can all give thanks.
