In an age where gender and biblical complementarianism remain under constant attack, we have an opportunity to redeem Father’s Day. Amidst headlines of the transgender drag queen story hour, a day to honor fathers is a gospel opportunity we should seize. With the craziness of the culture today, it has led me to consider Father’s Day afresh.
Our Perfect Father
Our Heavenly Father stands alone as the One True God (Is. 46:9-11) and the perfect Father. He, in His perfect wisdom, designed marriage and family for His glory and our good. He determined that it was not good for man to be alone, so He kindly made a helper suitable for him, a woman (Gen. 2:18). Furthermore, He gave marriage primacy, declaring that a “man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh,” Genesis 2:24. Continuing in His goodness, the Lord designed man and woman to have children in marriage and charged fathers to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).
Our Father’s Protection
Even in this Creation design, as Father, God is protecting us! He made provision for loneliness, granting a covenant of companionship in marriage. Fathers protect. God is a protecting Father. He protected Israel amidst the plagues of Egypt. He protected Daniel in the lion’s den. He protected David from Saul. God protects His children. The Father’s ultimate protection for His children came in the person of Jesus Christ, whom He sent to protect us from the penalty of sin and judgment! “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…But God demonstrates His own love toward us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:6,8. His gracious protection brought us to sonship through faith, for when we believed, His Holy Spirit was given to us and now testifies that we are, in fact, sons of God the Father! What protection!
Our Father’s Compassion
God, our Father, is ever compassionate, giving His children comfort, guidance, and reassurance. As our Father, He is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3) and the Father of mercies who comforts us in our tribulations. In His compassion and kindness, He grants us His perfect Word to guide and instruct, for, through His precepts, we get understanding and come to hate every false way (Ps. 119:104). In compassion, He reminds us that as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us! (Ps. 103:12)
What do these marvelous truths have to do with Father’s Day? Well, they are trustworthy and do not need Father’s Day to be celebrated. Still, Father’s Day affords an opportunity to both examine and support our lives and homes in relation to the perfect ways of our Heavenly Father.
As wives and moms, how can we extol God’s design on Father’s Day?
We can purposely speak to our children in such a way as to highlight the protection and compassion of dads, drawing attention to the ways and plans of our Heavenly Father. If you are a mom, you are likely often reiterating daddy’s rules and desires throughout the day. Draw attention to them for God’s glory. “Daddy wants us to…so that we honor the Lord and obey Him,” or “It’s not just mommy and daddy who want to protect you; God is protecting you through mom and dad when we give rules and guidelines.” If you are not a mom, God’s Word and way ensure you can honor and extol His design in your speech as well. Eph. 4:11-12 and Eph 6:1 provide clear instruction for church and home, and the authority that God has given for protection for His people. Do you see the importance and opportunity of this role? Do you take an interest in the families at your church, striving to exhort kids and teens with biblical truth? What a blessing when you remind them of these truths!
As female believers, we can herald God’s design for gender, marriage, and family ANYWHERE, and we must do so! May we not be shy in drawing attention to God’s ways and design. To acknowledge fathers is to acknowledge gender as God designed! As you honor the fathers in your life, either in your family or spiritual family, give praise to God for HIS design in using these men to lead you in His truth. Whether in the home or the church, we all have a role in drawing attention to the Father’s perfect design! Every verbal reiteration of God’s design for gender, marriage, and family is a gospel witness.
We can plan to prioritize time for instruction which gives protection and compassion. I am sure your calendar looks like mine-A HOT MESS of activity! While we are to obey Deut. 6:5-7 and talk of His ways as we go throughout our day, there is also, and often, need for specific instruction and shepherding. Do you frequently communicate the sin patterns of your kiddos with your husband, seeking his guidance and instruction? Make time for this. Make time in the family schedule for formal and informal instruction that may display the protection and compassion of God in your parenting. My husband asks me to keep him informed of our family schedule/calendar to help him seize and make opportunities for instruction.
If you do not have children, consider anew your role among the Body of Christ. As 1 Cor. 12 explains, every part is needed! I cannot adequately express my gratitude for those faithful teachers and servants who give their time and heart to instructing children in God’s Word! I am just as thankful for those who kindly share the need for correction in my children. My husband often tells younger singles in our church to get involved serving in children’s ministry for preparation and edification. Paul was likely unmarried and was used by God to instruct all believers in His perfect ways!
Pray. Pray for godly marriages. Pray for purity among singles. Pray for the leaders of your church as they lead and shepherd. Pray that the lives and ways of believers will point the lost to the glory of our Father in heaven!
“Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
This Father’s Day, may we marvel in the perfect design of our Heavenly Father. May we recall His sacrificial protection of and intervention for His people-salvation through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. May we teem with gratitude having been named His children! May we thoughtfully consider our roles in the home and His church that we may be useful and fruitful for the glory of our Father!
