At the moment of our conception it happened. We were fathered. No matter what our story, we all have this in common. There was a man who contributed to giving each of us life.
Every person’s father story is different. Some of us were conceived in love. Some of us where not. Some of us had or have a wonderful relationship with our fathers. Some of us do not. Some were given a great example of love mixed with leadership. Others have suffered because no such example was given. While some of us grew up with a father in the household, a great number of us spent time back and forth between mom’s house and dad’s. Fathers have died, abandoned, hurt some of us.
One fact remains. We all have a father. The miracle of the splitting cells that became a unique and one of a kind life that is each of us, began with him.
But even before those cells split, long before fingers and toes were forming and DNA was determining the color of our hair and eyes, before we were even a gleam in our father’s eye, we had a Father. Our loving and perfect Creator had His mind on us since the beginning of time. He hand crafted every detail of who we are and what we look like. Our personalities and our likes and dislikes. Our crooked smile. Our flag-like ears. Our quirky sense of humor and our unforgettable laugh. And He liked it. A lot.
But He didn’t just stop at our creation. He went on to nurture us and to offer us a real true child-parent relationship, complete with great conversation, amazing insight, tender mercy, unequaled leadership, constant companionship, overwhelming comfort, and daily interaction. Everything a daddy was meant to be and more.
And then He left the decision up to us. Would we choose to accept His invitation to do life together? Real, honest, everlasting life? Would we run into the open arms of this Father who gave everything to call us His own? Or would we run away and choose to ignore the One who gave us life in the first place?
Today i honor the three fathers that have profoundly impacted my life. My wonderful dad who lived out for me an incredible example of unconditional love, truth and integrity. My sweet father-in-law who welcomed me into his family almost 28 years ago with open arms and taught me everything there is to know about grace. And my life-partner, friend and husband whose dedication and devotion as a loving daddy never cease to amaze me.
And if not for the crazy, inexplicable, undeserved and overflowing love of my heavenly Father, I would not be here to enjoy the life that each of them in their very own way has given me.
Psalm 139:13-16 – For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Romans 8:15-16 – For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
And just for fun:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOKuSQIJlog&w=560&h=315]
