For some, Father’s Day may be just another good excuse to get the grill out and enjoy some family time while the sun shines. For others—perhaps for many of us—Father’s Day presents a complicated array of emotions. Maybe your own father wasn’t what you needed or wanted, a disappointment or even a source of serious pain and injury. Maybe your father was wonderful but has passed away. Maybe you are holding your first child in your arms this Father’s Day, wondering how on earth you are ever going to be able to be what this little person needs.
In all of these spaces, the grace of God permeates with tenderness and care. As you ready your heart and mind for a day that culture dedicates to fathers, here are four articles about what Scripture says regarding parents, fatherhood, and our heavenly Father.
Honoring (Dishonorable) Parents
“When we honor our flawed parents, we remind them of the dignity and gravity of their role,” writes Caleb Wait. “If we instead mock our parents, like Ham, we expose ourselves as those who revel in shame.”
“In the Fifth Commandment, however, we see that God is calling us into relationships where there is love, care, and—yes—obligation. The question is, then, should we still endeavor to honor our parents even if they are not easy, or convenient, to get along with? Even if they are dishonorable?” Read More
6 Things to Know About the Fifth Commandment
“The fifth commandment tells us to honor our father and mother,” Leah B. writes. “But how does this command play out in real life when children are under their parents’ care, as well as when they become adults?”
“As children made alive in Christ, believers are called to honor their parents now out of love and gratitude to God for the care he provides through parents. This is a huge blessing and one that children need to remember their whole lives long whenever they are tempted to take their parents for granted.” Read More
Happy Father’s Day
“Dads are in the position to display God’s grace in the household, but like me and every father, dads need grace as much as anyone,” writes Silverio Gonzalez. On a day bolstered by culture, Christians have an opportunity to approach relationships with grace.
“This is my first Father’s Day as a father. This is my father’s first Father’s Day as a grandfather. As I think about Father’s Day, I realize that—besides time with his new granddaughter—the best gift I can give my father this Father’s Day is love, mercy, and grace.” Read More
This Father’s Day, Reflect on the Fatherhood of God
Jonathan Landry Cruse writes about God as the Father—of us, and of all creation. “We learn what fatherhood is by looking to Him, and we resist trying to impose upon Him our expectations of what it means for Him to behave in a fatherly way.”
“The way the world works is a sign of his fatherly care, both to the natural order and to mankind specifically. God keeps the earth spinning and the seasons changing. Why? According to the Heidelberg Catechism, ‘He is able to do this because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father.’” Read More
