Our Father
How would you define the word "father?"
1) Father can be a man who has a child; this would be your real dad.
2) Father can be someone who begins something.
3) Father can be an older man.
4) Father can be one of the leaders of a city.
Sometimes a father could be your real dad, stepdad, and a man who treats us as though they were our dad, a preacher, or maybe a teacher who teaches us important things.
I thank God because when I was a kid I had a wonderful dad. He did special things with me that I enjoyed. For example, we went camping together; played soccer, taught me how to ride a bike and swim, and one summer he bought me an ice cream cone after every Sabbath sunset. He proudly attended and recorded my school band concerts. He was my Juniors Sabbath School teacher and Bible Bowl coach too; he taught me a lot about God. Even today I still call him D (D for daddy.)
However, sometimes kids don't have a dad that they ever see, or see very often. But, they might have a stepdad, a grandpa, another relative or a good friend that almost seems like a dad to them.
The Bible is filled with more examples of caring father figures. There's a story about an older man who became like a father to a young man. The older man's name is Paul, and the young man's name is Timothy. The Bible doesn't tell us anything about Timothy's real dad--it just tells us about his mom Eunice, and his grandmother Lois (II Tim. 1:4-6.) Those Bible verses tell us that his grandmother was the first one in his family, who loved God, and then his mother loved God, and then Timothy loved God.
We don't know where Timothy's dad was, but we know that Paul, an older man, wrote letters to Timothy and taught him about God. He was like a father to him. He even told him what to do when he had a stomachache! He also told him not to pay attention to the people that were saying that he was too young to do anything for God.
If you have a Dad that does things with you or not, there is one Father that has promised to always be with you. God is our heavenly Father. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1) And that is what we are; we are the children of God! He never messes up, never leaves us, and never makes a mistake. He even said He would be a Father to those who don't have a father. In Psalm 68:5 it says, "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." Isn't that wonderful?
There were some words people used in the Bible when they prayed to God. They would say, "Abba, Father." Do you know what those words really mean? They mean "Daddy God." God is our perfect Father. We can trust him completely. Through prayer He wants you to talk to him like you would with your dad or with a good friend here on earth. One of my favorite promises about our Father is Jeremiah 29:11-13: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Our Father, thank you for putting people in our lives that can be like a father to us. We see your love through them. Most of all, thank you for being my heavenly Father. I have nothing to fear because you are in control of my future plans. Thank you for loving me; I love You too. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Elena is happily married to Pr. Tony Sandoval, they currently minister and reside south of Atlanta. As part of the ECKCM Admin team, she is an eager secretary.