Messages
Fathers - Pastor Stuart Price
Fathers
Pray like this, our Father in heaven hollowed be your name. Matthew 6:9
Last Sunday we celebrated Fathers day, always a special time of the year to honour Dads. Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad.
For many Father’s Day is not easy. Some of you had bad relationships with your fathers. A few of you may not have known your Dad - even if you lived with him. For many of you this is a good day, with warm memories. We are a generation of under-fathered sons.
Being a Dad or a Mum isn’t easy. Being a child isn’t easy either or a teenager, married, or single, or being middle aged or a senior. Life Is Difficult!
I remember my childhood days on the farm in New Zealand with my Dad. We spent many hours even days together working on the farm. Dad would talk of his days he spent on his father’s farm. For me it was a special time together, teaching me how to prepare the draught horses to pull their heavy loads. Then how to drive the tractor and the truck etc. Great day’s were had by all.
When colleen and I got married in 1966, I was a workaholic, all day, all night. One day it all came to a head when Colleen said ‘I don’t want your money, I want a husband and the children need a father.’ that all changed in 1973 when I was born again and started my new found Christian life. ‘Colleen got a husband and the children got a father! I took my rightful place in the family. Thank you Jesus.’
One day the executives of a greeting card company decided to do something special for Mother’s Day. They set up a table in federal prison, inviting inmates to send a free card to their mum. The lines were so long they had to get more cards. Due to the success of that event, they decided to do the something for Father’s Day, but this time not one prisoner felt the need to send a card to his Dad. In fact, when asked about it, many had no idea who their fathers were.
In Luke 15:11-32 is the story of a father and his two sons. The story of the Prodigal Son (or as the real hero is dad, probably it should be called the Parable or the waiting father). Son came to his Dad, Father, give me my money that is due to come to me, for money will make me happy. The boy learned some hard lessons in the far country, but in the pigpen the young man came to himself. He put a speech together and started for home. The father was out there looking for him. The day he saw him, he ran towards him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. One of the key teachings of Jesus was that acceptance precedes repentance. Acceptance in this case came before confession. As the old saying has it. ‘Those who are seeking God have already been found by him!’
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian gospel is that God loves you before you change, as you change, or whether you change or not. Do you believe that? By the way, I’m glad the boy met the father before he met his older brother, eh?
This is a rich story, showing the heart of our Father in heaven. Be the Dad you always wanted your Dad to be!! I pray awesome blessings on all that your hand finds to do.
Much love
Pastor Stuart & Colleen.