How do you explain the love of a father? In a time when it’s normal for children to grow fatherless, it’s difficult to describe what fatherly love means. It is easier to put in words the love of a mother because women display it more tangibly. Women are nurturers, caregivers, and the ones who sacrifice to put food on the table when raising their children alone.
This month we honor and celebrate fathers around the world. Why? Because they deserve to be celebrated too. Although many people have a bad relationship or no relationship with their fathers, those who do treasure it. Children need their fathers in their lives the same way they need their mothers. That’s how they grow up in the healthiest environment possible and how God intended it to be from the beginning.
To begin describing the love of a father, let’s start by sharing the most significant verse from the Bible. John 3:16-17 (NLT) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
Let’s dissect this promise one step at a time:
God SO LOVED the world…
God, the Father, loved the world—all of us—so much! That includes you and me. Love is a verb and it’s an action. He did something for all of us because he cares for every single human being on earth. His love is so strong it encompasses the love of both parents for each person. There are no physical words to describe the kind of love that God has for us.
That he gave his only Son…
God became flesh and came into the world himself in the form of Jesus, a human yet divine, to get the job done. He didn’t just send an angel or a messenger. He sent his only Son. God does not have any other sons, only Jesus, who is a person of God. And God gave Jesus to us. He gave us the gift of salvation.
So that everyone who believes in him…
Everyone means every person in the entire world so you and me are included. The next key word is who “believes” which is also a verb. Our part is simply to believe that what God tells us is true. Believe that his promise will come true and believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Will not perish but have eternal life…
The word “perish” means to die, to pass away, to depart from life. God created us in his image which means that we are a spirit and our spirit lives forever, like God’s. Our bodies are temporary temples of his Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus in our lives. When our body dies, our spirit still lives forever, and we have a choice to make while we are alive. To believe in Jesus as God’s Son or not. When we believe in Him, we live with Him in heaven for eternity. When we choose not to believe in Jesus, we perish. This means we will still live forever but we spend eternity in complete separation from God and Jesus forever. This is called “the second death” because it’s the spiritual death.
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
God our Father had a specific purpose for all of us who choose to believe in Jesus—to save us, forever. The “wages of sin is death” (Roman 6:23) and we could never save ourselves from that punishment by doing anything. Therefore, when Jesus came to earth the first time, He came with one mission—to die on the cross for our sins. The fact that Jesus died for all our sins combined for the entire world is precisely how He saved us. But remember, Jesus did not stay dead. He lives forever! He conquered death once and for all.
If you didn’t have the blessing of having a good earthly father, know that it is not your fault. It’s nothing that you ever did or deserve. But I want you to know that you have a heavenly Father who cares for you and loves you. That’s why He sent His only Son to die for you individually, so you can spend eternity in heaven with Him. Yes, that is the love of a Father in action. And that’s all you need to know.
If you still have your earthly father, spend time with him and enjoy quality time. I still have my dad at 98 years old. I know God can call him any day now, so I talk to him almost daily. And to all of you who are godly fathers, thank you for taking the responsibility seriously. Thank you for all you do for your children. But the best thing you can do is to introduce your children to Jesus. That’s how you know for certain that you will spend eternity with your children in heaven with the Father.
I leave you with the other key verse from the Bible:
Jesus told them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NLT).
Happy Father’s Day!