Whenever I think about my dad, the first thought that always seems to come to mind is what he gave me that he himself did not have – a dad who was there when needed. When he was about 12 his dad deserted the family and went to South America in search of gold. He never returned. Consequently, he had to quit school and deliver telegrams to help his mom make ends meet. When his mom eventually remarried, her husband had to travel and needed her assistance, so often he was left with relatives or alone. I cannot imagine the insecurity, fears and trauma that caused. I will never forget as he recounted those times to me with tears in his eyes. Those times impacted his decisions as we grew up and despite the challenges he faced, he finished the race with mom, here for us when we needed him.

Scripture says to call no man on earth father (Matthew 23:9). Perhaps because of people like my grandpa who obviously did not fulfill the role of Father the way God intended. However, I think we can understand the role of a father based on the Greek definition. Strong’s Concordance says a father is an originator of a family or society of persons. He infuses his own spirit into others, governing their minds and directing their thoughts. Furthermore, the position is a place of honor. Honor is deserved because of the caring attitude, knowledge transfer and training to enrich others’ lives. The concept of physical reproduction is actually missing in the Greek. That is why verses like John 1:13 explain that some children were born due to “human decision or a husband’s will,” so we would understand the difference. It boils down to what a father does, by design, with his “society”—not how it got there.

As we approach an understanding of God The Father, I think it is clear to see from this definition that He is the originator of whatever we are or could hope to be. If there is any doubt, all you have to do is look at Genesis 1:27 and you will see that He made you like Himself! In other words, He took aspects of His essence and used only the parts that were appropriate. As the originator, he conceived those elements to fit into His own master plan. So, if you halak with God The Father, you will understand which part of Himself He wanted you to have. He knew exactly what behaviors, attitudes, and motivations your personality required. Additionally, He knew which people and circumstances would be necessary to provide you with the opportunity to mature in The Kingdom in which you exist. Wow, that is a lot of forethought and planning to insure you could play a very specific eternal role.

You have been told all your life that you are unique and special to Deity and your family. I would hope at this point there is little doubt of that in your mind. However, what we often miss and do not wrap our mind around is why we were created the way we were and how that uniqueness is to be applied during our lifetimes. When we begin to see how that uniqueness prepares us for our eternal Kingdom position, our life work and direction falls into place. So I ask you now, my child. What, of The Father’s unique characteristics, did he give you and what does He want you to do with them? Those characteristics are what binds the two of you into an intimate relationship and is the foundation for the relationship.

Love, Dad