Father

Last Sunday we celebrated Father’s Day.  I am not quite sure how anyone could possibly miss it with the plethora of Home Depot and Canadian Tire advertisements!

We were blessed in our house to gather (socially distanced, of course) for a small backyard bbq in honour of Brian.  Our two children, along with their significant others, paid homage to their truly great dad.

Father’s day is not always easy, especially for those who have lost fathers, or whose father were (or are) not present in their lives. However, whether you celebrate the day or not, do you know how Father’s Day originated?

Father’s day was the brainchild of Louise Smart Dodd and was held in Spokane, Washington, USA on June 19, 1910. Mrs. Dodd envisioned an event to take place during a regular Sunday Church service where fathers would receive small gifts as well as loving greetings from children. She brought up the matter to her pastor and he communicated the idea to the local pastor's association. The mayor of the city and the governor of the state endorsed her concept and issued proclamations in support. 

It is said that Mrs. Dodd dearly loved her father. When his wife died in childbirth, he was left with six children. Somehow he overcame the difficulties of rearing them while operating his farm. His devotion to his children sparked Louise's gratitude.

Father's Day was slow to catch on and it wasn’t until 1966 when President Johnson established the third Sunday in June as the date of the celebration. And even so, it was not made official until 1972 under President Nixon.

All that to say, we have the grateful daughter of a self-sacrificing father to thank for Father’s Day!

The ideals of fatherhood are strong in the Bible. God is portrayed as a loving Father. Jesus described God as his own intimate Father and claimed to show in himself what the Father was like. God gave his beloved son for the salvation of the world. For Christians, fatherhood has deep meaning and power. God is the perfect example of a father. A father that’s loving, compassionate, caring and forgiving. If you, like me, didn’t (or don’t) have a relationship with your earthly father, I can assure you that you can have one with your Heavenly father! 

God the Father loves you, and wants to have a relationship with you. God will be the most loving and caring father you could hope for.