Presented to The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries, 19 June 2022, by Major Michael Ramsay
When we refer to God as our Heavenly Father
what do we mean? What are some of the traits and values common among fathers
that are a reflection of the attributes of God? God loves us. He is proud of
us. He is cheering for us…. We have a number of verses that we will look at on
this Father’s Day that show us a little bit about God as our Heavenly Father.
Jeremiah 29:11: “'For I know the plans I have
for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you a hope and a future. '”
We fathers are proud of our kids. We enjoy their
performances: school, church and community plays, musicals, recitals. We celebrate
their victories as if they were our own. I have cheered many dance medals, at
least one soccer medal, and academic and behavourial awards. I think this is
what is meant in part by Jeremiah 29:11: “'For I know the plans I have for
you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
give you a hope and a future. '” God loves us. Our Heavenly Father enjoys our performances
and competitions. He cheers for us like a dad cheers on his children. God is
proud of us.
Psalm 149:4 – “For the Lord takes pleasure in His
people; He adorns the humble with salvation.”
I am a proud father. I have three great kids. Rebecca
has a natural ability in so many things. She learned to read very early, thanks
very much to Calvin and Hobbs comics. Being our eldest, we celebrated so many
firsts with her. All of kids! Sarah-Grace: I often remember one play she was in
in primary grades. She portrayed a character called ‘Nasty Boots’ that I think
the whole town celebrated – it really was that good. She has preached many times
not only here but also growing up and as a pre-teen she even went on the road preaching
a sermon she wrote and it was very well received. I was so proud. Heather -even
right now, at 11 years-old - is producing her own TV show. Like any dad, I am
so happy to see my children succeed. So with us, even more with God.
Psalm 149:4 – “For the Lord takes pleasure in
his people; He adorns the humble with salvation.” God is our Father and thus
like a father, I really believe that the Lord celebrates with us. He laughs
with us. He cries with us. He celebrates with us. I know that in recently
receiving the award from our community here, I spent quality time really thanking
the Lord and spending time with God: Thanking Him for allowing and enabling me
to serve Him and others. I know how I am cheering for my kids in everything
they do for the Lord, and I want you all here to know that God is cheering for
you and me too! And even more! He does take pleasure in us and He lavishes His
love upon us.
1 John 3:1a – “See what great love the Father
has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what
we are!”
As fathers we are also blessed just to see our
children grow up: We are excited when they speak their first word, when they
take their first step. We are happy when they make a friend.
We are happy when they celebrate rites of
passage: We celebrate graduation from a class, high school (or maybe
university); when they get a job, when they move out (even though you miss them
terribly); and then for some maybe they will go on to get married and/or have
kids themselves. And maybe celebrate many more rites of passage. 1 John 3:1a – “See
what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are!”
John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so
that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take
heart! I have overcome the world. “
2 Corinthians 1:3 - “Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in
any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
As parents we are always concerned for our
children and hope they can avoid or get through every crises and struggle. God
has the same hope for us like we read earlier in Jeremiah 29:11: “'For I know
the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. '” But also John 16:33, “I
have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you
will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And 2
Corinthians 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we
ourselves receive from God.”
There is trouble in this world. As parents we
hope and pray that our children will never fall prey to addiction (drugs,
alcohol, gambling, anything); we hope and pray that they are always healthy
(and can come through any times when they aren’t); we hope and pray that life
doesn’t knock them down too hard or too often; we hope and pray that they are resilient
and will continue to get up when life knocks them down (and learn from it too!)
– for in this world there will be trouble but God has overcome the world. And
as we have every confidence that our children can get through, God has every
confidence in us too. We hope and pray that our children will receive comfort
from us and we hope and we pray that they will experience the comfort that the
Lord offers to each and everyone of us, even and especially in our most challenging
times. The Lord, our Heavenly Father loves us even more than we love our
earthly children - as impossible as it may seem that anyone could love more than
we love our kids, our Heavenly Father does. We hope and pray, with the Lord,
that our children are never consumed by hate, fear, or sin. Hate, fear and sin can
paralyze us. But love trumps hate and God, our Father, loves us
Matthew 10:29-31 – “Are not two sparrows sold
for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s
care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid;
you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not despise the
Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines
those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
When the Bible talks about sin, I really think
it is often referring to an Heavenly Father trying to point His children away from
trouble. I don’t think sins are a list of things that bad people do. It is more
like something we do or something that happens which puts us in harms way
(missing the mark). Or it is calamity, destruction and a force all of its own
waiting to pounce on us. A loving Heavenly Father thus warns us like He did Can
in Genesis 4:7. Remember Cain and Abel? Jealousy and rage and murder are about
to consume Cain and entice him to murder His brother and so God (who loves Cain
every bit as much as He loves Abel) gets his attention and says, “If you do
what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right,
sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over
it.” God loves us all and He desires for us to overcome sin and to overcome the
world as He has overcome the world.
Luke 12:32 – “Do not be afraid, little flock,
for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
Our children are among the most precious things
in the world to us. God loves us even more than we love our own children. Just
like our heart is full when our children make things for us – a picture, or a
poem – so is God’s heart when we make things for Him. Just like our heart is
full when they do things for us like make a party, mow the lawn, or clean the
house; so is God’s heart full when we do things for Him. Just like our hearts are
full when our children do things for each other; so God’s heart is full when we
do things for one another. Just like my heart is full when I see my children
helping and doing things for anyone in need; so God’s heart is full when we
help out others in need (either personally, through our Army here, or in other
ways). Just like our heart is full even just seeing our children together, so
is God’s heart full seeing His children here together. And just like my heart
is overflowing when my children are together with me celebrating and enjoying
life, I can’t even tell you how much God loves to see each and everyone of you
here with Him and each other today. God is a Father to each and everyone of us
and His heart is filled and overflowing with joy to have you come together with
His other children just to see Him and spend time with Him on this Father’s Day
– just like any other day. He loves you.
So on this Father’s Day, let us come before our
Heavenly Father and know that He is proud of us and He loves us and He wishes
the best for us, He will never leave us nor forsake us and He will always be
here for us even until the end of the age. Let is pray.
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