Give

Give

Give

A Father's Love

by Sonya Anthes

11/16/2017

As I am writing this, it is my daddy’s birthday. He has been on my mind a lot here lately, well honestly, he never really leaves my mind. He would have been 56 today, but instead of spending his birthday with me and the rest of his kids, he is spending it in the presence of the Father. So, I know he is having an unimaginably wonderful day.  As I was listening to Richard’s sermon on Sunday from Ephesians on children and parents, one verse in particular stuck out to me and prompted me to write my thoughts.

Eph 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

I thought, “Wow! Daddy did a really good job of this!” I can’t remember one time where he tried to provoke us or tear us down. He was always loving, nurturing, slow to anger and truly cared about every part of his children’s lives. We could and did tell him anything. He always gave the best advice and never let us leave without us hearing him say, “I love you and be careful.” He taught us so many values but just a few were our manners, honesty, respect for ourselves and others, to always be nice, to always do our best, to choose our friends wisely, and to always help others when you can. He did an amazing job modeling all of this and above all, we could always talk with him about the Lord. Every night before he went to bed he would get down on his knees at the side of his bed, bow his head and pray. He didn’t know, but often I would look down the hall and see him praying at his bedside and it would give me comfort.

 

I can honestly say that my relationship with my daddy helped me have a strong relationship with God. It made me realize just how much God could love me. If this earthly man created by God could love me and his kids so much and always want the best for us, then how much more the Father’s love is for us!

1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

 

1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Soon, Mike and I will have 2 children of our own. I know that Mike will be a great dad to them just like mine was to me and that he will love and teach them well. I hope and pray often that these children will know and grow in the love of Christ and grow into a relationship with Him. That they will see the love of the Father through us just like I did with my daddy.

Leave a Comment

Comments for this post have been disabled.