Giving Thanks for Dad

This week, many will take some time to honor Fathers. This will be my first Father’s Day in fifty-two years that I will not have the opportunity to either spend time with, or at lease speak with, my Dad. I miss him terribly. There is an empty, hurting place in my heart. I fully understand that there are many others who will be without their Father this week. I know I’m not alone in this feeling. There are so many discussions I wish I could have with Dad. There are decisions that need to be made that cause me to wish for his wise counsel. There are church matters, family concerns, and personal matters that I wish I could spend just a few minutes asking Dad about.

Dad was a man of few words, but every word he spoke was meaningful. Our conversations were often brief. I was always thankful to hear from him. I now know that I took his counsel for granted. It just seemed like he would always be around.

I am writing this to encourage everyone who reads it to take a moment to let your Dad know how much you appreciate him. I sure wish I could let my Dad know one more time how thankful I am for him. Here is what I would say. Perhaps you would like to share with those who read this blog what you are most thankful for when you think about your Dad.

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE THE LORD. My Dad loved Jesus with all his heart. He tried his best to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE THE WORD OF GOD. Dad knew the Bible as well as any man I have ever known. He loved studying the Greek and he instilled that same love in me. He loved preaching the Gospel. His sermons were Bible saturated. They were filled with Scripture. Dad was always “ready to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15).

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE THE CHURCH. The church of Jesus Christ was at the heart of everything Dad did. He especially loved the local church and particularly the Roebuck Parkway congregation. He gave forty-three years of his life serving in that great church.

He loved the church around the world. Dad helped plant the church in the country of Belize and averaged making two trips a year to that country for more than forty years. Dad was the very best local preacher in his generation. His ministry stands as a model for all of us who preach.

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE THE LOST. Dad was always teaching people the Word of God. He took to heart the command to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” (Mark 16:15-16) It was not unusual for Dad to conduct one or two personal Bible studies each day of the week.

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE MY FAMILY. My Dad and Mom were married for nearly fifty years. They were loyal to one another and they worked together strengthening the cause of Jesus Christ. Dad loved his children and he wanted them to be faithful to the Lord as well as the Lord’s church.

THANK YOU DAD FOR TEACHING ME TO LOVE LIFE. Dad understood the abundant life that Jesus came to give His followers (John 10:10). He was a positive person. He looked for the best in every situation. Dad brought about the best in everyone around him. His infectious smile was genuine. Being around him made others want to smile.

If your Dad is no longer with you I hope you will remember him this week. If your Dad is here I hope you will let him know what he means to your life. Most of all I want to encourage you to honor our Father in Heaven every day of your life.

Dear Father in Heaven, we thank You for Godly Dad’s who have taught us so much. We pray that we will be able to give them the honor they deserve. Dear God please be with those of us who are without our Dad’s at this time. May we find comfort in happy memories. Father, most of all we thank You for being such a wonderful Father to all of Your children. We thank you for giving Your only Son so that we might have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.