FATHER'S DAY - JUNE 17, 2012

The World is celebrating today as Father’s day.  But our Eternal Father has promised us in Isaiah 46:4, Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.  Our Father carried us from the day our secular mother bore us in her womb.  Once a man dreamed in which he and Jesus were walking along the seashore and there were two footprints of them on the sand.  After a while he could see only one foot print.  He was upset since he thought Jesus had left him.  But Jesus told him that He is carrying him so that he should not get tired.  This shows the love of our Father.

Are you afraid that you are left all alone in this World of Wilderness?  Kindly do not worry because He will be with you to carry you and bear you.

The word Father when I read in Bible touched my heart.  While we meditate about the Biblical Fathers we will also look into the characteristics of our Heavenly Father.  It is very important to honor our secular father as well as our Heavenly Father.  When you just call Him Abba He knows very well for what reason you are calling Him.  Whether you have secular father or not, our Heavenly Father is there to take care of you as a guide, comforter, father, mother, friend and so on.

1.    Father of Providing

Genesis 22:7,8 - But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father! And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
Here we could see Isaac calling Abraham, My Father!  You might be well aware of this incident where Abraham went to the mountain with his son Isaac to offer him for the Lord.  Biblical research scholars say that Isaac was a well grown up young man when we went with Abraham to be offered.  Had Abraham told him the reason for which they are going there might be a possibility that Isaac would have pushed him and ran away.  But Abraham just told Isaac, God will provide.  Here we could see our Father as a Father of Providing.  According to Biblical scholars, Isaac typed Jesus Christ the son and Abraham the Father Jehovah Jireh.

We cannot answer the questions of today’s children since their knowledge is much more now than it was earlier just as it is written in the Book of Daniel.  This is the time of increased knowledge.  Nowadays many children are scoring more than 400 in 10th results.  These are the last days and this is the sign for the Lord’s sure coming.

This June month is a month where economical needs are to be met and as we saw above God will provide you in this month.  Our Father will not leave us ashamed but will provide us with necessary things.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I cannot meet my needs.  Now I am going to call you Abba Father and you know very well for what I am calling.  I put all my responsibilities under your feet.  I know you will take care.  Thank You.

2.    Father of Vision

Genesis 48:18,19 - And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”
Here we see the conversation between Jacob and Joseph.  Joseph went with his sons to Jacob who was on the verge of his death to be blessed by him.  Joseph also desired that his father’s right hand is to be placed on his firstborn.  Joseph looked only on the practical things but Jacob knew who God is and how He blesses people.  He looked into the history of his grandsons.  Here I could see Jacob as a Father of Vision.

Even in our lives, we need to have a greater vision concerning our children and our life and the Lord will fulfill that vision accordingly.  Perhaps you would have come with a big question in your heart concerning the tough situation you are going.  I tell you that you are looking into the present situation but God is looking your past, present, and future.  Just say whatever my Father does is for my good.  You might not understand now but one day God will surely make you understand why you faced that situation.  There is a purpose in everything for God and He does everything with a vision.

You might take your own way to achieve something, but you cannot do anything against the Lord’s Will.  Only His will alone can stand and our God is a God with Vision.
Prayer:  Dear Lord, I do not understand why these tough situations are happening in my life but I do a prayer of dedication.  Please help me to see a way out.  Thank You.

3.    Father of Giving

2 Kings 2:12-14 - And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.  He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.  Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
Elisha was conversing with Elijah to get the double portion of the Spirit Elijah got.  He was given a command that when he sees Elijah taking up to Heaven he might receive it.  When taken up to Heaven, Elijah’s mantle fell on Elisha and he saw him taking up and thus he received the double portion of the Spirit.  Here I could see Elijah as a Father of Giving.

So whatever things you are in need just ask the Father of Giving now and He will be very sure to give those to you.  Biblical Scholars were counting on the miracles done both by Elijah and Elisha and the latter ran short of just one miracle.  After a very careful investigation they were told that a dead person was got revived when put in Elisha’s tomb.  This proved the double Spirit of Elijah on Elisha.  God will never say I would not do that thing for you and please do not ask that.  He will do necessary things for you because He is your Father who gives.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, I know that you are the Father who gives of whatever I ask.  Please provide me the things I yearn for and do a miracle in my life.  Thank You.

4.    Father of Forgiving

Luke 15:21, - And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
This Father as we see in Bible did not say, “I forgave you my son” rather he asked his servants to put best garments on him.  The Bible says this younger son longed to fill his stomach with the food of the pigs.  He did not eat that food as many say nowadays.  This was said in order to explain the extent of his poverty.  This father did not get angry when he saw his younger son.  I see a Father of Forgiveness in this father.

Some people might talk skillfully with the ones sinned against them saying I forgave what you did but I will never forget the incident.  Some others when asked whether you remember me say if only I had forgotten you I could remember you, you are always in my memory.

Our Heavenly Father has no bitterness against us and He is a Father of Forgiveness.  We who have born to this Father of this forgiving character should forgive others too.  Your life will be the same without any blessing if you do not forgive others.  So we need to have the nature of forgiving.
Prayer:  Dear Lord, please forgive all my iniquities as I forgive others.  Thank You.

5.    Father of Passion

Luke 16:27 - “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house.
This is the conversation between Abraham in Heaven and the Rich man in Hell.  This was the true incident happened that Jesus narrated.  The Rich man went to pit and was crying his heart out that his five brothers should not come to hell the same way he came.  So he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to them.  According to him, only his brothers would believe when a dead person meet them.  But Abraham told him that they should hear Moses and the prophets.  What Abraham meant here was that they should go to a Church nearby.

I could see this father Abraham as a Father of Passion just because he was very much concerned about those five sons to go to a Church to enter Heaven.  We need to have the same kind of heart.  People surrounding us should not question us that we have not told about Jesus to them on the Lord’s Day.  It is very important for them to enter Heaven as we enter it.  This is what our Lord Jesus expects from us also.  So we need to have this kind of burden in our heart.  May the Lord fill us with the burden of souls.

Prayer:  Lord, please fill my heart with the burden for souls to reach Heaven.  I pray longingly for those who surround me that they should enter Heaven along with me.  I believe that You alone can make this possible.  Thank You.