Father's Day
- elizabethswinningw
- Jun 17, 2017
- 4 min read
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God's children.
Romans 8:16
While lecturing at Yale University, Dr. Fred Craddock, one of the great preachers of our time, told a story about vacationing with his wife one summer in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One night the Craddocks found a charming little restaurant where they looked forward to enjoying a quiet meal together. While the couple was waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. Craddock leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I sure hope he doesn't come over here." But sure enough, the man did come over to their table. "Where you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice. "Oklahoma," answered Craddock.
"Splendid state, I hear, although I've never been there," said the stranger. "What do you do for a living?"
Craddock replied, "I teach homiletics at the graduate seminary of Phillips University."
"Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a story to tell you."
And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with Craddock and his wife. Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly and thought to himself, Oh, no! Here comes another preacher story! It seems like everybody has at least one.
The man stuck out his hand. "I'm Ben Hooper," he said. "I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn't married when I was born, so I had a pretty hard time as a youngster. When I started going to school, my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn't a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and lunchtime because the things they said to me cut me so deep. What was worse was going to town on Saturday afternoons and feeling like every eye was burning a hole through me. I could just hear them whisper, ‘I wonder just who his father really is.’
"When I was 12 years old, a new preacher came to our church. I would always come to church late and slip out early, hoping to avoid scrutiny. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me. ‘Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?' he asked. I cringed inwardly—even this new preacher knew my shameful secret! But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. 'Wait a minute!' he said. 'I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God. Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'” Ben Hooper later went on to become the governor of Tennessee.
On Sunday, we will honor our earthly fathers on what has become known as “Father’s Day.” However, regardless of family history, our relationship with our earthly father, whether or not we knew our biological father, or whether the man who raised us was kind or cruel, every day is the right day for Christians to honor our Father in heaven. We are children of God! We have a great inheritance and no one can ever take it away from us. All we need do is claim what’s ours as we live to the glory of the Father who created, sustained, and redeemed us—and loves us with an everlasting love.
Father!—to God himself we cannot give a holier name.
~~Williams Wordsworth
A Question to Ponder: “We are children of God! We have a great inheritance and no one can ever take it away from us.“ Today is the day to ponder the blessings that are yours because God is your heavenly Father.
A Prayer to Offer: Father God, creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all that lives and moves and has its being in you, thank you for choosing me to be part of the great family of God! What a privilege it is to call you “Father,” and to experience the joy of being rightly related to you: You as my faithful Father, me as your grateful child. You are the perfect Father I always dreamed of; the kind, compassionate, merciful, ever-patient Father who satisfies my deepest longing for safety and security. Thank you for your steadfast faithfulness and love! Thank you for the hope of heaven—and the great anticipation I feel as I ponder that day when I will live in my Father’s house forever. Forgive me, Merciful Lord, for those times when I call you my Father, but do not reflect your fatherhood in the way I live my life. Forgive me for being a rebellious child. Forgive me for thinking I can do better on my own than in your household. Thank you for restoring me when I come to my senses and come back to you. Thank you for this day, made for my enjoyment by you, Gracious Father—and for the friendship, fellowship, and favor I enjoy as your thankful, obedient child. Amen.
An Action Step to Take: Make a Father’s Day card for your Father in heaven. In it, express words of gratitude and love as you as you contemplate how great your Father really is!
So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
Matthew 7:11
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