Remembering Our Father

We're coming off a Father's Day that I pray was a good one. I know it is a time for me to give thanks for my children who made me a father, and for the gift of my father-limited those his time was on earth. I enjoyed his legacy to me of humor, generosity, faith, and courage.

I know not everyone's memory of their father is good. I am sad that this is true. I read a book several years ago that helped me understand the way one person dealt with their father when memories of him were not good. She started thinking of the good traits that were a part of his life. What motivated her to do this was realizing that if she could not remember the good ones, she could not own some of those same good traits in herself (The Wounded Woman by Linda Leonard).

I am glad that Jesus came into this world to show us a more loving side to the fatherhood of God. If we had only the First Testament as a guide we would have to work harder at finding these traits about God. It wasn't that God was not loving then, it was simply that people's view of God was incomplete and often thwarted by their own views of themselves.

Jesus shows us clearly a fatherly side of God that is at once strong and gracious. Indeed, it is a terrific model of dads today-strong and gracious. When we think about it, grace takes a lot of strength. Grace does not arise from a position of weakness. Strength and grace arises out of viewing others and ourselves with a sense of respect and gratitude.

So, I pray if your experience with your father was not all good, you'll at least try to remember some of the traits there were, so that you can own those good traits in yourself. At the same time let go of those fatherly images of God that make God harsh and weak. Replace those images with the fatherly God of Jesus who is strong enough to forgive even the most disappointing of us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father I give you thanks for your strength and grace. Let me bask in it, if only for these moments, that I might see those same traits in myself. In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Mac Hamon, Senior Pastor
Castleton United Methodist Church
Indianapolis, Indiana