Reflections from a dad about Dad

Yesterday, February 9, marked the birthday of my eldest child, Lydia. She has reached her 15th year and I can honestly say that she has been a real blessing to my wife and I. In our wildest imagination we could not have designed a more delightful child. Her coming into adulthood was part of my morning reflections as I spent time alone with God in prayer.

As I finished thanking God for giving us fifteen wonderful years, I paused and reflected on the other two children in my life, Michael (4) and Jonathan our most recent arrival. Michael has been a handful and quite different from our daughter. I reflected upon my interaction with him the night before. It occurred to me that I had been somewhat less than loving. I had come home from the office, extremely tired and more than a little preoccupied with my own problems. Michael was simply being Michael. Tragically, in my weakened state, Michael bore the brunt of dad's acrimony. My wife delicately pointed out the injustice of my actions.

With a night's sleep under my belt and in the quite presence of God our Father. I had to admit that Cynthia was right. I had a bad day. I was wrong and I needed to make amends with Michael. It then occurred to me how radically different our heavenly Father is in the way He deals with His children.

I have often taught that God is Holy, Sovereign, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. He never slumbers nor sleeps. Nothing catches Him by surprise. There is not an atom in the universe that escapes His notice. He is at all times in complete and total control of all things in the created order. But most importantly, He never has a bad day. The stresses and anxiety that so mark my life and the lives of many in the Church are not part of God's composition. God never has a headache, never runs out of patience and never throws up His hands in disgust at our constant failures. Consequently, when He deals with us, He acts in accordance with His nature and character, never by acting in frustration or in arbitrary capriciousness. Thank goodness God never has a bad day.

We serve a heavenly Father that loves us enough to send His only begotten Son, Jesus, to take the punishment we deserve, to die in our place, that we might be adopted into the family of God. All the riches of Christ have been granted to us. He may chasten us from time to time because of our own folly and allow us the privilege of facing the consequences of our own actions. But He never, in desparation, change the rules of the relationship mid-stream.

Thank You for loving us this way. And thank you that you don't behave towards me in the same manner that I treated my own dear son.

Soli deo Gloria