Father’s Day

“Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”  Ephesians 6:2-3

For Father’s Day, I have included a poem that my Mother wrote about her father, probably in the 1940’s or 1950’s.  My grandfather worked on the railroad.  There were seven in his family, himself, my grandmother, three boys, and two girls.  They were poor, but just about everyone was poor back in those days.  However, they had love, cared for one another, and made Christ the center of their family which made them rich in faith and joy.  My Mother appropriately entitled her work “Father’s Day”.

“As I walked into the yard/ Daddy looked so very tired/ and I remember what he said/ As the curls danced about my head.

A pretty new dress that day I wore/ I could see the strings of his heart was tore/ As he said, dresses like that, for you, I’ve wanted to buy/ Then he drew a heavy sigh.

I’ve always worked so very hard/ Never time to play, I’m so very tired/ It takes it all to pay the bills/ Nothing left for lace and frills.

If he but knew it, he gave me my greatest needs/ The greatest gift that comes from bended knees/ Reading the Holy Book across his lap/ At the door of my heart there was a tap.

The greatest gift he told me of God/ Of the road that Jesus trod/ Of the straight and narrow way/ What happened to ones who went astray.

About the One who walked upon the sea/ Who’s coming back for you and me/ The One the wind of the sea obeyed/ That gift can never be repaid.

About the One that died on the cross/ So that all who believed could never be lost/ The One that from His grave arose/ and carried to heaven on a cloud I was told.

What other gift could compare?/ With that of God’s peace in the soul/ To me that gift is more precious than gold/ For my home that’s waiting can never be sold.

Thanks for your teaching Daddy dear/ The greatest gift for happiness though your tears/ Thanks to God our Father of this day/ Who gave His only Son from our sins to save.”

It is sad to see how fathers are viewed in this day and age.  I believe that all of our problems stem first from how we have ignored God and His word, but secondly, how fathers have been been treated as though they were of no importance other than bringing home the bacon.  Fathers matter.  It has been quoted that over 70 per cent of African American babies that are born are born into a home without a father present.  When young girls of any race grow up without a loving father, they seek that male love and affirmation from whomever will pay attention to them, and thus they either have babies out of wedlock or they have abortions.  The young men who grow up without a father figure to teach them how to be a man of integrity end up in gangs also seeking love and affirmation from a father.  A child gets his or her view of God from their father.  If the father is absent, indifferent, or abusive, this is how many children see God.  The father is to be the head of the family, not in a domineering or hostile way, but as a loving father who first of all treats his wife with the utmost respect and shows the children by example what it means to truly love another.  Secondly his children must know that he loves them with his whole heart and will protect them at all costs.  The most important thing for a father or mother to do is to teach their children about God, about the fact that Jesus Christ suffered and died to pay the penalty of sin, and that each individual is responsible for repenting of his or her sins and placing faith in Christ.

Until society realizes that fathers and/or mothers cannot be replaced by government, our society will continue down the slippery slope of destruction and despair.  We have certainly gotten off track concerning our families, and can only hope and pray that folks will wake up and see the light before the inevitable train wreck up ahead.