#2705 (6/17) "The Heart of a Father"

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"THE HEART OF A FATHER" -  By FRC Managing Editor Dan Hart,  June 14, 2019; https://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20190614/heart-father

     "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:11-13)

     When my firstborn son was a few months old, it was clear that he was not gaining weight like he should be from breastfeeding due to an undiagnosed condition. My wife and I felt helpless and were wracked with constant worry. As a father, I felt desperate, and longed to do anything in my power to help my suffering child. By God's grace, we were eventually able to find the professional help we needed through lactation consultation, and our baby began a healthy weight gain.

   I am reminded of this time when reading of desperate fathers in the Gospels who, at their wits end, lay their suffering children at Christ's feet, begging Him to help them. Although my own experience pales in comparison to the severity of the problems these biblical fathers faced, I can still identify with a father like Jairus frantically elbowing his way through the crowd and throwing himself before Jesus, beseeching Him to help his dying daughter (Mark 5:23-43). Or the father with the demon-possessed son, who kneels before Jesus and implores Him, "Lord, have mercy on my son..." (Matthew 17:15-18).

   I can picture the sweat on the brows of these fathers as they strenuously assert themselves for the sake of their children. With all their options exhausted, they make one last ditch attempt -- some would have said foolhardy attempt -- to save their offspring at the feet of Jesus. How does He respond?

   Jesus, in full union with His Father, reveals the true nature of God the Father's heart in His response: mercy, compassion, and healing. We read that at the moment He speaks the word of healing, the afflicted are indeed healed: "...the boy was cured instantly" (Matthew 17:18); "And immediately the girl got up and walked" (Mark 5:42). What's more, physical healing is just the beginning of God's tender care for the welfare of His children.

   Christ does not stop at mere physical healing; His mercy extends to great concern for our spiritual health as well. When the father of the possessed child pleads with Jesus to heal his son, Christ's first response is to teach him the power of belief: "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). And for those who ask for the Spirit, Christ assures us that God cannot help but give more than merely "good" gifts: "How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13)

   Tragically, there are many in our society who have difficulty relating to God as the merciful and healing Father that He is because of the lack of a loving earthly father in their own lives... This lamentable state of affairs gives Christian fathers all the more motivation to exemplify and live out the true heart of our heavenly Father. Much has been said and written about how fathers must be strong leaders and firm maintainers of discipline in their families. This is certainly true, but it only tells half the story of the true heart of God the Father, and therefore the heart that all fathers must strive for.

   The tender care that Christ manifested through His merciful and healing touch and through beautiful parables like the prodigal son (Luke 15) are stirring examples of what a truly loving father must be: a clear reflection of God the Father's tenderness, mercy, and compassion -- guiding and nurturing his children towards discipleship in God's kingdom. This requires what may seem on the surface to be a paradox: Fathers must have the manly courage to be vulnerably compassionate with their children in order to more fully exemplify the compassionate love of our heavenly Father.
   Vulnerability and tender care for the spiritual needs of our children may not come as naturally to us, but it is just as important. In order to impart the full heart of God to our children, we must be willing to stretch ourselves and exemplify both physical and spiritual nourishment to our children, just as our Heavenly Father gives abundantly to all who ask Him (Luke 11:11-13).

   This Father's Day, may we all find true rest and comfort in the healing and merciful embrace of our true Father in heaven, who unreservedly pours out His fatherly mercy, healing power, and grace to all His children each day.

[italics and colored emphasis mine]

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PRAYER MATTERS:

"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against 

the disorder of the world. -  Karl Barth

"Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is  one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer."- Stan

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Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/

 In Nigeria (ranked #12 on the 2019 World Watch List), our brothers and sisters face increasing persecution on multiple fronts, including deadly attacks by Islamic extremists and extreme discrimination by Muslim families and communities.This month, we invite you to join us as we  stand in prayer for our Nigerian family.
June 17 | MYANMAR - Pray for ongoing discipleship trainings for youth leaders. Ask Jesus to guide and use them. Pray that these youth continue growing in their faith and make other disciples when they return to their communities.
*Names changed to protect identities