Fulfilling God’s Purpose As A Father

Today is Father’s Day. How many think Father’s Day was invented by greeting card companies? Not the case. Father’s Day was proposed in 1909 by Mrs. John Dodd. Mrs. Dodd wanted to honor her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran. William Smart was widowed when his wife, Mrs. Dodd’s mother, died in childbirth with their sixth child. William raised the newborn and other 5 children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. Mrs. Dodd wanted to honor the strength and sacrifice of her father. Father’s Day was first observed in Spokane in 1910 and grew in popularity. Not until 1966, did President Lyndon Johnson sign a proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday in June as Father’s Day.

It wasn’t easy for William Smart to be a father in 1800s and it’s not easy to be a father today. The children God gives us are a great joy and a great responsibility. How can today’s father be a good father for his children? How can you be a good father for your children? I believe a good father is first and foremost a father who fulfills God’s purpose.

The Bible has a lot to say about fathers the word “father” is used 1082 times in the Bible. Today we want to see what the Bible has to say about fulfilling God’s purpose as a father. Bible teaches us that God is our father NAS Ephesians 3:14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Since God created every person, He is in one sense the father of every person, they are His children. So every family has a father whose name & position comes from God. What are the implications of this? Earthly fathers are to learn from their heavenly father what it means to be a father. Since God is our Father, we can learn from Him how to fulfill God’s purpose as a father.

To hear more about this topic, listen to my June 19, 2005 message entitled Fulfilling God’s Purpose As A Father