I am over-awed by the privilege and huge responsibility that God gives us as Christian fathers. It is so humbling and rewarding. This poem is the counter-part to my Mother’s Day poem. I dedicate it to my own father, Dan, who raised me, loved me and kept me focused on God’s grace. May we celebrate the fathers the Lord has given us and take the time to show our appreciation for all they do for us. Most of all we thank God for the gift of fathers on this Father’s Day.
The Father made you a father
A priceless gift to precious lives.
You are His; You are His agent here
His representative, His heart in action,
A reflection of his sacrificial love and selfless care
A poor reflection, a sinner struggling to be the father the Father intends…
But yet a rock that rests solidly on the Rock.
Tenderly unyielding at times and yet unyieldingly tender
To work to understand little hearts and minds and gently lead and shape
Your mission is His mission.
Your children are His children
Your truest work is His work.
Your delight is whatever delights Him.
The Father made you a father.
To be firm when firmness is required
To be merciful when mercy is needed
A guide to lost ones, an example for watching eyes, a healer for broken hearts, a shoulder to cry on
A champion, a defender, a bringer of peace and safety, a patient teacher, a source of help and hope
To right wrongs, build lives, shape futures,
Protecting, comforting, guiding, ever growing, ever changing, ever loving better
To understand needs and meet them.
The Father made you a father
A man to stand up, step up, point the way…
The way that always leads to Christ’s cross where all sin stands conquered
The way that always points to that empty tomb where true life began.
The way that brings lives to the Father forever.
The Father made you a father
Yet still always a child of your Heavenly Father
Planning and praying for each life in your care,
Daily drinking deep of the Water of Life, feeding faith with the Bread of Life
Drawing true peace and strength from the Word of the Father
Leading a family in worship and to worship
Ever training for life’s marathons, yet finding perfect rest in your Father’s perfect love
Your love an overflow of His love for you.
The Father made you a father
Today, here, now, in this moment, taking the time…
Investing in each precious life, creating moments and seizing opportunities
Balancing, balancing, balancing
Work and family, needs and wants, freedoms and responsibilities, stress and fun,
Working at loving the wife God gave you, appreciating her, supporting her, guiding her
And so teaching your children to love,
Self-weak and God-strong, failing, forgetting, feeling the daily struggle, confessing daily sins…
His peace your only true peace. His forgiveness your only true strength.
Fighting the good fight, burdened but strong in Him, often confused but ever clear in God’s grace
Washed clean by the Savior’s blood
Life covered by the Savior’s perfection
Standing forgiven, leading by following Him
The Father made you a father
A profound privilege. To cradle babies, to shape lives, to live love.
Treasuring moments that pass too quickly, the laughter and fun, little eyes shining eager to see you, the tender touch of those who need you, watching growth and cheering, amazed at countless daily gifts
Never forget that you are a blessing from the Father.
Never forget that you are needed, you are loved, you are very important, you are forgiven.
You are strong in Him.
Today we thank God for you
We appreciate you
We honor you
We love you.
Our Father made you a father
A priceless gift to precious lives.
Buy the Book!
