God the Father

One day I was hiding under our family boat that was parked beside my childhood home.  I was eight years old at the time.  I was afraid of my father.  It was a warm summer day with sun shining high in the cloudless sky.  My family, along with some neighbors, were all sitting in our backyard in lawn chairs around a small kiddy pool enjoying the sun.  I don’t really remember what I did, but I know that I was wrong, my father was angry, and I didn’t want to be spanked.  I ran and hid in complete terror.  He came to find me and asked what I was doing.  I immediately said I was sorry and repented, and pleaded the best I could with tears in my eyes.  My Father didn’t spank me that day because he saw that I knew that I had done wrong, I truly was sorry, I wouldn’t do it again, and more punishment wasn’t needed.  I am thankful for that lesson because our relationship with our fathers reflects our relationship with God.   God is father to us all. 

Growing up my parents only had to spank me a small handful of times, and from then on the fear and threat of being spanked was enough to keep me relatively well behaved.  Spanking and corporal punishment is frowned upon now even though the bible says spare the rod spoil the child, and parents can even be arrested for child abuse for spanking a child in public.  There are a lot of dinguses who claim that spanking is bad for children, and abusive, and those that are against spanking will cite research that was motivated by their false idols.  This is a serious issue.    

“Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.” Deuteronomy 8:5

When you read through the entirety of the Bible, Old and New Testament, you can piece together God’s personality and character.  The God of the Bible is a father, a creator, and we are his children.  God is love, and he loves you, but as in any loving father you should fear him, and going against his will.  The Israelites would often forget this, would forget their covenant, and God’s commandments.  The result was God punishes them.  The Israelites are a proud and rebellious people, which is part of their national character as seen in the bible, and throughout history, and God has to punish them over and over.   Having a fear of God is a healthy thing just like it is healthy to fear your physical father.  Fear of genuine authority teaches man boundaries, obedience, and keeps him and his family safe and prosperous.  To be without fear is to be complacent and to be complacent is to invite tragedy.  Only fools test God.

Building Men is tough.  This is the central theme of the Old Testament.  God has to punish and condition the Israelites over and over again in order to keep them on the right path.  Like a Drill Sergeant in the military forcing his recruits to do pushups and flutter kicks, God will punish and condition his creation if it cannot govern themselves justly, and forgets him and his commandments. 

There is an episode of “The Cosby Show” where Bill Cosby and his son are arguing about his son Theo’s  future.  Theo wants to be mediocre, and doesn’t want to try hard in school.  Theo says “If you (Bill Cosby) weren’t a doctor, I wouldn’t love you less, and instead of acting disappointed because I am not like you, maybe you should just accept me and love me anyway because I am your son.”  This is a rebellious attitude.  Children often want to go and do what they please, but they have to learn obedience.  It is part of growing up and maturity.

In 2014 it is acceptable for children to be rebellious, to do what they please, and parents are supposed to just accept it.  If a Man’s daughter does pornography and becomes like a prostitute he is just supposed to accept it and love her anyway.  If a Man’s son decides to live in a homosexual relationship he is just supposed to accept it and love him anyway.  Since our relationship with our parents mirrors that with God those same children are saying “God I don’t want to obey you.  I love you God, and you should just love me in the same way regardless of what I do.” That kind of attitude won’t get you very far with God. 

In reply to his son, Bill Cosby exclaims “Theo, THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE!  It’s no wonder you get D’s in everything.”  Bill’s son wanted to accept mediocrity as many children who go their own way do.  He wanted to be less than he could because that is what is easy.  It is every loving father’s dream that his children will be able to live up to their full potential, and bring him Glory because those children were created by their father and carry his name.  That is what God the father wants for you too.   

Man in his design is meant to shine.  Man is supposed to be a beacon of leadership, justice, and comfort for people to flock to, but men are not born, they are built.  Building men takes time and societies commitment.  I have met some sixteen year old Men and some forty year old boys.  A man that produces nothing and cannot make things happen for himself is worthless.  There are forces that would keep Man from shinning, and make him dependent instead of self-sufficient and beautiful in the sight of God.    

This little light of mine,
I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Lord let it shine.

In Jeremiah 35 there is a family called the Rechabites.  They came into Jerusalem seeking shelter against the Babylonians, and were with Jeremiah in God’s Temple.  Jeremiah offers them wine, but they refused it.  Their ancestor Jonadab instructed them to drink no wine, to plant no seeds, build no houses, and to live in tents so that their days may be many.  This was not God’s instructions, but God was pleased with the Rechabites, and their faithful obedience to their ancestor because our relationship with our fathers models that of our relationship with God.  While the Kingdom of Judea was on the verge of being destroyed by the Babylonians because of Judea’s sins, God blessed the Rechabites. 

God wants your obedience in the same way your father does.  He cares about you, and wants you to be successful.   He wants your obedience so he can lead you and the rest of mankind to Glory.