First of all, let me say that my dad is awesome. He's pretty much the coolest guy out there. A brilliant, genius sort who can fix anything, knows how to have a fun time and also works hard to create a good life for his family. This is of course why my mom married him. She's good at seeing a person's potential and my dad was so incredible that she took a bus from Idaho to Ohio just to make sure this fella' didn't get away.
I guess her plan worked. ;)
Considering the number of broken homes and disconnected families out there I wonder just how many people spend this day alone or dredging up bitter memories as they swallow down their Bud Light. I have the blessing and privilege of having both of my parents together who love and respect each other. Not having a father seems strange to me, but to think of all of the people out in the would who don't have two fathers is really an odd thought.
Yes, I have two fathers for I am blessed with an earthly father and an heavenly father.
A number of years ago I heard an excellent sermon by Joel Finck titled, "One God and Father". He talked about our condition of having no father before we were saved. We were without Christ in the world.
Ephesians 2:12
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
The literal translation for "without God" is atheist. We were fatherless, hopeless children of wrath and disobedience... atheists.
Ephesians 2:1-7
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Paul the Apostle used Roman adoption as an example of our relationship with Christ through adoption.
In Rome it was common to adopt an heir. To quote Wikipedia, "In the Roman Empire, adoption was the most common way of acceding to the throne without use of force. The second emperor, Tiberius, was the adopted son of Augustus, beginning a general tradition that the Emperor adopt his successor. During the Roman Empire's first 200 years, this tradition was common, with Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Lucius Verus all becoming Emperor through adoption."
Even so Jesus Christ is God's Son and we are made a part of Christ through the adoption of sons:
Romans 8:14-23
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
I don't think it get's much cooler then that!
Anyways, I am off to milk the cows for my daddy but I hope you all had an excellent Father's Day weekend and know that whether your biological father is near or far there is always the Creator of the universe who is patiently waiting to adopt you as His heir in His Son.
Galatians 4:1-7
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
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