In Australia, Father’s Day is on the first Sunday of September.
I don’t think it’s easy to be a father these days. The world seems to denigrate parenthood, devaluing the role of fathers, and men in general. Domestic violence seems to be on the rise, and most of it seems to be coming from men. https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/resources/fdsv-summary
In 2023 in Australia there were approximately 900 000 children growing up without a father https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-status-families/latest-release.
“While Mother’s Day became instantly popular, it wasn’t until the 1930s that Father’s Day came to be popularly celebrated in Australia,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_Day
It’s not always easy to be a good parent, and it seems especially difficult to be a good father. The Bible gives advice for fathers, including:
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4 (NIV
God describes Himself as our heavenly Father. He wants a close relationship with us – as a loving father with his trusting, obedient, and totally dependent child.
As children, we often want our fathers to give us everything we want. We may think that love means giving in to our every demand. This is not the fatherly love that God describes. God knows our needs better than we do.
My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 (NIV)
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13 (NIV)
Unlike our earthly fathers, we can be assured that God never acts impatiently or out of anger. He always has our best interests at heart. Although we may not see it at the time, God uses even, and especially, our worst trials to shape us and lead us to trusting obedience. In fact, when things are going well, we may be tempted to think that we don’t need God, and that we can handle things perfectly well on our own.
This week I pray for all fathers, and fathers-to-be. I pray that you will seek to emulate our heavenly Father, who sent His son Jesus, who loved us to death. Your job isn’t easy. You may not receive appreciation from the world, or even from your own children. But God knows. God loves you. When you mess up, God calls out to you to come to Him, and seek His forgiveness. He will not refuse.
I also pray for those who would like to be fathers, but are unable to be. Keep on praying for guidance and protection. May God give you peace.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Are you a father? Would you like to be a father?
How would you like your children to describe you as their parent?
How do you feel about God as your father?