Father and Son

By Ronald Stephens

“He will turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers. Malachi 4:6 (KJV)

Being a father has given me a small glimpse into God’s relationship with His Son and with us, His children.

Throughout the Word of God, we see the father-child relationship esteemed as honorable, desirable and at the very center of God’s will. After all, didn’t God send His Son, Jesus Christ, to Earth to bring His lost children to Him? (Galatians 4:4-6, KJV)

Fewer things are closer to God’s heart than fathers connecting with their children. And so is with me and my soon to be two-year-old son, Justin.

When I first saw him, I was overwhelmed. He was so small, helpless, yet beautiful. At that moment I knew that I loved him and would give my all for him.

I believe this is how our Heavenly Father sees and feels about us. As born-again believers, we have been adopted into the God’s own family. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he writes that we, “have received the Spirit of adoption in which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!” Paul then he goes on to say that “the Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God”. (Romans 8:14-66 Amplified) This is a fact we need to keep at the forefront of our thinking and rejoice at it. We are children of the Most High God!

Now, as earthly fathers, our relationship with our children should in some ways reflect how God deals with us, His children. This is what my son has (and continues) to teach me. Please indulge me while I share a few of the truths I’ve garnered so far.

Right off the bat is patience. “For ye have need of patience…” (Hebrews 10:36). If there is anything that being a father has taught me is how to be patient. At times I find myself recalling how patient God has been with me when dealing with my son. There is a lot Justin does not understand and it takes time and patience to teach him what is right. It’s the same with us in relation to God’s omniscience. Sometimes, we just don’t get it. And, until we do, God works with us in loving patience. Fathers, we have to do the same with our children. We need to take the time to teach them in all things and most importantly, the things of God.