Calling upon your heavenly Father

YOU’LL be celebrating Father’s Day this weekend. This can stir a lot of emotions, good, bad, indifferent.

Who has had the perfect father? No one I know. Many would argue that fathers aren’t relevant, and you’re better off without them.

Albert Einstein said “Just because you don’t believe in something doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” This is true of fathers.

The role of fathers is important in our society even if you haven’t had a good one or believe otherwise. 82% of studies on father involvement and child wellbeing published since 1980 found “significant associations between positive father involvement and offspring wellbeing …” Paul R. Amato and Fernando Rivera, “Paternal Involvement and Children’s Behaviour Problems,” Journal of Marriage and the Family 61 (1999): 375-384.

Jesus radically, heretically in the eyes of many, called God His Father, using this Aramaic word “Abba” which literally means “Dad”. For Jesus, “God” equals “Dad”. Strong and loving and willing to bless His children. Jesus said “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”(Matthew 7:11) Go on …

Rev Heather Hall (Toowoomba Wesleyan Methodist Church)