Father’s Day

Today’s post comes from John Piper, but his childhood story struck a chord with me. I can faintly remember a similar moment when my dad rescued a mini-me from under a freak wave at the beach (in his good shoes). I trust you will find this an encouragement:

I do not nullify the grace of God. (Galatians 2:21)

“When I lost my footing as a little boy in the undertow at the beach, I felt as if I were going to be dragged to the middle of the ocean in an instant.

It was a terrifying thing. I tried to get my bearings and figure out which way was up. But I couldn’t get my feet on the ground and the current was too strong to swim. I wasn’t a good swimmer anyway.

In my panic I thought of only one thing: Could someone help me? But I couldn’t even call out from under the water.

When I felt my father’s hand take hold of my upper arm like a mighty vice grip, it was the sweetest feeling in the world. I yielded entirely to being overpowered by his strength. I reveled in being picked up at his will. I did not resist.

The thought did not enter my mind that I should try to show that things aren’t so bad; or that I should add my strength to my dad’s arm. All I thought was, Yes! I need you! I thank you! I love your strength! I love your initiative! I love your grip! You are great!

In that spirit of yielded affection, one cannot boast. I call that yielded affection “faith.” And my father was the embodiment of the future grace that I craved under the water. This is the faith that magnifies grace.

As we ponder how to live the Christian life, the uppermost thought should be: How can I magnify rather than nullify the grace of God? Paul answers this question in Galatians 2:20–21, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God.”

Why does his life not nullify the grace of God? Because he lives by faith in the Son of God. Faith calls all attention to grace and magnifies it, rather than nullifying it.”

http://www.desiringgod.org/books/future-grace

I prayed this prayer last year on Father’s Day at our church. Praise God for his heavenly Fatherliness!

Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to earth, entrusting him into the care of an earthly Father and modelling to us your sacrificial love and servant leadership. We give thanks for our own earthly fathers, for the love, provision and protection they have given us, even though imperfectly at times. Lord, forgive us for demanding perfection from our dads, which is only something you can give. Help us all to be prayerful for our fathers and appreciate the important role they played in leading and guiding us. Help us to show and express our love for our dads today.
We also think of the many children around us who live in a fatherless world, through absence or neglect or abuse. We pray that those children might find in you the father they seek. We pray children and families we connect with through Clubhouse and the Kids holiday program, that they might know your perfect Father’s love, that they might know you as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord that you are the Father to the Fatherless.
We pray too for those who have lost fathers in the last year, for your comfort at this time while others are celebrating the love of fathers. Thank you Lord for the good memories we can share at this time, and the many good things our fathers have contributed to our characters and lives.
Pray for all dads, that they can love and accept and affirm their children, showing wisdom and patience as they seek to teach their children about Jesus. We pray particularly for new dads, for the task of leading and guiding which they may feel so unprepared for. Thank you that no matter what experiences they have had, with a good, bad or absent father, that they can love like you because your holy and fatherly spirit lives in them, by faith. We pray that your design for families to be led by Christ-following dads, would be lived out amongst us, and would influence the society around us, for good and your glory!
Amen