Father’s Day

Sunday, our children and grandchildren spent the day with us in celebration of Father’s Day.  The house was rockin’ and rollin’.  Boys love to wrestle and box.  One of the older cousins stuffed his tee shirt with pillows for the battle with his six year old cousin.  The house was full of laughter – not that we didn’t have quiet conversations, too.  Part of the time, the guys were glued to the Oakland Athletics baseball game.  The girls sat outside and talked.

How important are Fathers?  Our pastor shared some statistics on what happens when a father isn’t in the home or present in the lives of their children:          

              90% of homeless and runaway children

              63% of youth suicides

              85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders

              71% of pregnant teenagers

              80% of rapists motived with displaced anger

              90% of repeat arsonists

              85% of youths in prison

              60% of repeat rapists

 

I know it’s been said many times before, but if you’re looking for a root cause of why our culture is experiencing such troubled times, look to the disintegration of the American family. 

Fathers are essential to the spiritual, emotional and mental health of their children.  So are mothers.  God designed the family for good purpose and to give blessing to every member.

Don’t give up hope if you’re a single mother or single father rearing your child. You can bring up your children to know Jesus died for their sins so that they can have a personal relationship with God the Father.  How do we grab hold of that free gift?  Repent, accept Christ as Savior and Lord, and follow in His footsteps. 

The Lord keeps every promise He makes.  His love is so deep, high and wide, it is beyond our human comprehension.  Difficult things happen to all of us, but each of us can trust in the Lord to make all things happen for good for those who love and are called according to God’s purposes.  I’ve seen it happen many times in my own life.   Even when those difficult things come from our own sin, God can transform them into lessons that will turn us back to Him, refine us and strengthen our faith and bless our lives. 

Every day is Father’s day.  May we all celebrate the ultimate Father who loves us every hour, every minute, every second of every day until the end of time.