FROM MY HEART
Let me greet all fathers today a Happy Father’s Day! I am hopeful that this day will bring joy and celebration to each of our families here in church. As a father, I am also thankful for allowing me to preach in just two services today and the afternoon will be a special time for me and my family. In order to enjoy the true meaning of celebrating this day, I think it should be done out of love and not obligation or guilt. I am sure that the pressure to express and the pressure expected is high. It is here that I would like to pour some oil of grace, that the tension to express and expect be done away with.
Let us remember that the heart of any celebration is done from the heart . . . minus the guilt trip. Therefore, let us not pressure others to celebrate the way we do. Let everybody enjoy the freedom on how they will or will not celebrate today. To simplify things, let us all have grateful hearts everyday, Take time today in prayer for your “dad” . . . most of all, take time to worship our Heavenly Father together with all other saints.
Not everyone is blessed to have good memories of their fathers. In fact, others are traumatized when they remember the abuses of their own dad. My suggestion is to give them space to grieve and not pressure them to celebrate. Rather, offer a silent prayer for healing. Let us remember that not all families here in church are complete. Let me encourage you . . . even though you are not complete, you are still a family! And by the grace of God you can still rejoice!
To my fellow dads, if your wife or kids remember you today, humbly give thanks. If they don’t, humbly accept, for there just are things in life which we cannot demand. To the children, find time to pray and somehow give your dad a break today . . .how you express your thanks is your style. And to those who have been so disappointed with their dads, I suggest, bring it to God in prayer so you will not have bitter hearts. Express your grief to the Heavenly Father. He is in charge of transforming . . . not us. If you never had a dad in the flesh, thank God . . . in church, God gave us a lot of “dads”.
“Pray like this…..Our Father….” Matthew 6:9
HAPPY NO PRESSURE FATHER’S DAY TO ALL!!
Prayerfully,
REV. ARNEL TAN
No comments:
Post a Comment