FATHERS ARE TO BE CHERISHED TOO!

Dearly Beloved, FATHERS ARE TO BE CHERISHED TOO! “Just as a father loves his children… [So] Honor (respect, obey, care for) your father…” (Psalm 103:13; Exodus 20:12 AMP). As I was reflecting on the celebration of the Father’s Day for this year, I came across this quote attributed to the late revered world evangelist, Billy Graham: “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” This quote is an undisputable fact! Mothers are so cherished in every society. Many poems, songs, captions, and the likes have been composed and dedicated for mothers. Mothers are celebrated worldwide twice every year (in March in some parts of the world and in May in other parts of the world). There is even another day tagged “International Women’s Day” in March to “celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.” Women in general and mothers in particular deserve these celebrations and accolades because of who they are and what they are doing to/for their children. However, as Billy Graham rightly said, fathers are hardly recognized and given deserved honour in spite of the fact that they are one of the most valuable assets a child could ever have in life. Fathers are to be cherished because the Holy Bible presents God as our heavenly Father or “Our Father who is in heaven.” In fact, the central image of God is that of a Father (see Psalm 103:13; Hebrews 12:5-9; James 1:17). This write-up is not about God the Father anyway. Being written in a patriarchal setting, the Holy Bible is full of many fathers that took special roles (both positive and negative) in the lives of their children. Amongst the worst fathers in the Bible were Eli, the permissive father (1 Samuel 2:22-25, 29; 3:13); Samuel, an equal failure as Eli (1 Samuel 8:1-6); David, though a man after God’s own heart, was an absentee father who did not know what was happening to his children (see 2 Samuel 13-15); Ahaz worshipped idols and sacrificed his children to demons (see 2 Kings 16:2–4); Manassah who also sacrificed his children to demons (2 Kings 21:1-9; Psalm 106:35-41) and many others. Amongst the best fathers in the Bible were Abraham, the father of faith who settled his family members before his death (see Genesis 25:5-6); Job who was involved with his children socially and prayed for them spiritually (see Job 1:4–5); Jonadab son of Rechab who was a respected father whose children obeyed him (2 Kings 10:15-16; Jeremiah 35); Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ, though one of the most underrated fathers in the Bible, but went to great pains to protect his wife, Mary, the baby Jesus (see Matthew 2:19-23) and other children like James, Joses, Judas (or Jude) and Simon (see Mark 6:3) and gave them education and needs as they were growing up; the father of the demon-possessed boy who brought the boy to the disciples of Jesus Christ to be healed (see Mark 9:14-27); the loving father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son who in spite of the behaviours of his two sons still demonstrated his fatherly love to them (see Luke 15:11-32); Philip who raised four daughters that became prophetesses (see Acts 21:8-9) and many others. My earthly father died four years ago, but I still cherish what he had imbibed in me when I was growing up. The instructions then were like bitter pills to swallow for me, but today, I am being grateful for him and the fatherly roles he had played in my life. I wish that my children will have many positive things to learn from me as I continue to raise them up. Look back on the roles that your father has played in your life. Are they positive or negative? Are you a father? What roles are you playing in the lives of your children now? However, no matter the roles your father has played in your life, do you cherish him? Are you celebrating your father as you celebrate your mother? Fathers are to be cherished too! Happy Father’s Day! In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray for the grace to always cherish fathers also as you are cherishing mothers.