Newsletter/Article Index :   Trouble with Children?

Date Posted	October 11, 2007
Article Title	The Love of a Father for His Son
Posted By	Greg Richardson
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The Love of a Father for his Son 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV) This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. There is a man who is blessed with a son, and this son is the light of his life. Everything that the father does is in some way a benefit to his son. This father doesn’t have a great deal of money, and he makes his share of mistakes, but with an unfailing devotion he loves his son. When his son was still an infant this father took his turn at waking up in the middle of the night and comforting, feeding, and holding this treasured gift from God. As he securely held the tiny body, his crying would stop, because this child knew that he was safe. The father marveled at the tiny features as he looked into the face of this living jewel. This father saw the hopes of the future, and the joy of life in his arms. As his son grew the father would playfully toss the child in the air, and his son cooed and laughed as he knew and trusted that his father would catch him. This father showed his son that he was safe, and no harm would come to him. As this child grew this father taught him to build with wooden blocks, knowing someday his son may build homes or bridges. This father held his arms open inviting his son to take his first steps, encouraging that inner strength within his child. This father held his son’s hand as they walked together for his very first walk in the park. As the son tried to swim for the first time, this father held his head up so he would not drown. When his son scuffed his knee for the first time, this father wiped his tears, washed the wound, and warned him of other dangers that he might encounter. And the son grew in years and stature. The son learned from his father and the son loved his friends and siblings. He imitated the ways of his dad one day as he corralled two children, rescuing them from a man trying to kidnap two of his friends. The father beamed with pride as his son started his growth into manhood. The father taught the son to lead by example always giving, always sacrificing, and above all putting the needs of the lesser ahead of his own. The father showed the son that life is about helping one another, and putting your own needs aside so that others would benefit first. He taught that he was to forgive everyone for whatever wrongs they may commit. For many years the father focused his energy on preparing his son to go out and be a leader of men. His son grew into a man, after what only seemed like a moment in time. He was ready to go into the world: strong, confident, secure, and armed with a loving heart, and an undying spirit of love. For the first time this father realized that his son was ready to leave. His son wanted to venture out, and he wanted to lead other men. As the father saw his son’s heart exposed, tears flowed from his eyes as he yearned to hold his infant child again. Confident and secure in his son, he dried his eyes and sent his son into the world to teach, to lead, and to love. This is the story of my son, who in a few short months will venture off into the world. I am proud, happy, sad, and secure in that my son will be a fine man giving without expecting payment, leading without expecting praise, and loving unconditionally all the people around him. I have seen this already, for his friends, and teachers tell me of his loving heart. But the real story involves another father who sent his son into the world. After just three short years on his own, this fathers son hung in disgrace, nailed to a cross on a hill, far away from the strong arms of his father. Dying and pleading he said, “Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing.” And the son died, for the transgressions of the world, doing what his father taught him, putting the needs of others ahead of his own, and loving without conditions. The Father in heaven reached down and rescued his son, defeating death and sin forever resurrecting hope, kindness, and love for all who believe. God stands ready to rescue all who believe in his son, becoming brothers and sisters in Jesus, adopting us so that we would never know death. My son will go out into the world, and I pray that he will always trust in Jesus for all of his needs, wants and hopes. I call on you today to put all your hopes and desires into those nail-marred hands of Jesus, the Son of God.
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