Meaningful Mondays: Remembering Fathers...

This was an extra special Father's Day in our house as it was the hubs first one.  It's amazing how much your perception of your spouse changes when they become a parent.  I always knew my husband would be great father.  However, I never realized how amazing he would be at it.  Sweet Boy is one blessed kiddo.

When thinking about Father's Day, I always think about the Heavenly Father and how as children, we often view the Heavenly Father in the same way we see our earthly father.  God is a someone we can talk freely with and One who can do anything.  "'Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.'And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them."  Mark 10:14-16. 

As we grow into adults we start to look at the Heavenly Father with both fear and admiration.  He far surpasses our earthly fathers, but yet we often keep Him in a box.  We may not confide in Him like we did when we were children, sharing our deepest fears and biggest secrets.  We believe that He can do anything, but we don't ask Him to.  We get busy.  This is not the case for everyone, just my own experience.  "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6.)

Then we have children, and we learn to pray again.  To really pray.   To really thank God for blessing of parenthood.  How can we not look into our child's innocent gaze and thank God, the Creator?  We once again see that God can do anything and we are less afraid to ask.

As a parent, we have a better, yet still terribly inadequate idea of the Father's love.  We can never understand how God's is able to love so many people, so deeply.  However, we can understand how He wants us to be happy, to work hard, to be loved, to succeed, to feel His forgiveness and to make Him proud.  We want all of these for our children.  "How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings."  (Ps. 36:7.)

I can't say how the next stages in life affect the way we view the Heavenly Father, but I believe I pray that it will lead to a closer relationship with God and that's all I need to know.

Maybe we should see every day as Father's Day, both to acknowledge the amazing earthly father's in our lives and all they do as well as the Heavenly Father.  Each day we should spend some talking to them and learning more about them.  It can only make us better people.  =)