My Father’s Love

Mathew 10:26-33

Robert Orben says: "For Father's Day, my kids always give me a bottle of cologne called English Leather. It's appropriate! To them I always smell like a wallet."

Fathers are not there just for wallets, although some see them like that. And today I would like to look to God as a Father and learn from His attributes.

Our passage is from Mathew 10. A wonderful passage of providence “naqaqnamov;ivn”! God is in control of history. Last Sunday we heard about God’s plan for our lives. God has a plan for you.

Today’s passage has passionate approach to humanity. Jesus gives example of little sparrows.

 

1- Little sparrows are flying. God cares for them. If God cares for them, how about for us?

Of course, God loves his creation. He does everything to keep His creation. But life is tough, not easy. Unfortunately, little sparrows do fall on the ground. “Not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your father” (vs 29).

Yes, there are times when sparrows will fall on the ground.

They will be hit by airplanes; they will be hunted; winds and natural disasters are always around them.

God loves His creation, yet there will be tough circumstances.

God created the world good. But sin destroyed our life and our relationship with God and each other. After the fall of Adam, the earth is under a curse. Sparrows will fall. This does not mean God does not love us, or is punishing us. No way! He allows these things to happen so we can mature and learn. God has His ways of working with us. And His ways are not necessarily our ways.

Even in the story of Jesus, God as a Father allows his Son to die, so humanity can be rescued from eternal damnation. God expresses His love in a tough way. His love is tough, gentle and pure, but tough.

Sparrows will fall. Why? I do not have enough answers, but one answer is clear, he does care for all of us.

 

 

 

2- OK, we know that sparrows will fall, but there is Someone who will lift them up.

We know that God is watching His creation.

Once a little boy was on a boat. The sea was stormy. The wind was blowing very strongly. Whole boat was swinging, as if it would will sink. Everyone on the boat was holding un to something. This little boy was holding tight, and there was nice peaceful smile on his face. One of the passengers went to him, “Aren’t you afraid?” he asked, “I see a smile on your face.”

The little boy said, “I am afraid, but I am looking at the captain. He is my father. He knows the sea and the boat. He will take care of us.”

Little sparrows may fall, yet we know our Father is watching.

Let me tell you, that in families where fathers keep a close eye on the children, the children feel more secure than those left without any supervision. Children will not like us when we interfere in their lives. Yet, in the future, they will be so happy that the father was there.  Remember the quote in the Armenian sermon:

50 years: My Dad knew literally everything

60 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

Paul’s life is incredible. We read in 2nd Corinthians 11:24-26: 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.”

Then he says in Chapter 12:9,“9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

In Beirut we have taxi drivers who also take different passengers in the same car, so it will be cheaper for the passengers. This is called “a service cab”. One time I was in cab, and the driver had put the picture of a newborn baby in front of him on the dashboard. I asked his who is was. He said, “He is my newborn son. I like to watch him all day long.” Do you know that God has our pictures in front of Him in His car while He is driving?

God’s love for us will not protect us from life’s problems. We learn from our God the Father how He is in charge and cares for us. We as parents, we as fathers have no choice, but to be responsible for our homes. Making a living is only one part, but being there as Christian fathers who are ready to pray with the children, go to church with them, spend quality time with them, must be a priority.

Once there were two paddleboats. Both used to transport goods in the river. One of the captains decided to compete. Therefore, he started the journey by burning more coals, so the boat would go faster. It did, and it was going faster than the other. Then the captain realized that there are not enough coals to finish the race. He started to burn the goods that he was carrying. He won the race. Hurry, hurry. But he came empty. The cargo was burned.

We run so much for our families. We make more money. We can have more of everything. We will win the race but lose the battle. I remember in Beirut, and maybe here also, some parents bring their children to Sunday school to church and go back home, then come back and take them. The message is: you can go, but it’s certainly unimportant to me. This is the message we transmit to our children. Do you remember Karl Marx’s father, who was a hypocrite in his religious life.

The Christian understanding of father is that they need to learn to be Christian leaders at home. Lack of leadership is driving our families to chaos and confusion. If the fathers do not lead, someone else will lead them. And it will be too late in the end.

The only way is to learn from Jesus. He prayed to his Father, and his father guided Hhim in this life. Today is a good day for fathers to realize that sparrows will fall, yet God is watching us and loving us. We need to surrender to God who will teach us to be fathers.

 

 

 

1 -The American Legion Magazine