Sunday, June 19^th is Fathers Day. I want to honor all of our fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, uncles, teachers and family friends who fill the role of ‘father’ in someone’s life. I salute you. Many of you grew up knowing the love and security of a present father; a father who provided and protected you and was there when you needed him. You have a lot to be thankful for. Yet, there are those who lived with the pain of an absent father or had a father in the home who fell short of being the father they really needed. Hopefully, you were able to find the love, guidance and support from another family member or had someone in your life that filled in the gap and made a difference in your life. Be thankful for that person because children can live without many things but love is not one of them. That is what Father’s Day is all about – giving honor to those who treated us like they were our father.

Nevertheless, every believer has a heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally. God truly is the most wonderful Father of all! The fact that He would love us, save us by His grace, and adopt us into His family proves this. Our adoption was made possible because of the sacrificial blood that was shed by His Son, Jesus Christ, on our behalf. It’s because of Jesus that we became part of His family and that is why when Jesus taught us how to pray He used the words “Our Father.” Our Father is our protector, our provider, our teacher and the one friend who has promised never to leave or forsake us. Almighty God is the only one who can be all things to all people all of the time. Isn’t that wonderful?

If you are a father, my advice to you is – it’s more important for you to allow your children to watch you live a godly life than it is for you to tell them how they should do it. I want my children to see what I believe to be right and true. Proverbs 20:7 says “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” God, our Father in Heaven, is the perfect model of what it means to be a father. Love as He loves. Forgive as He forgives and show compassion to everyone that you meet and your fingerprint will be remarkably like His. Happy Father’s Day!