Daddy!

You know being a father is so tough, rewarding yes, but so very tough. As I continue to reflect on Father's Day, I am simply overcome with gratitude to God for the unbelievable privilege of being a father. I'm grateful to have a wonderful relationship with my earthly father and I am eternally grateful to have a loving and vibrant relationship with my Heavenly Father. It is that relationship with my Heavenly Father that gives me the strength to continue to try to be the dad that God has designed me to be.

As I look at the devotional for today and consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians in 6:4 and consider the implications of the words "Abba Father" it takes my breath away that the God of the universe gives us such intimate access to himself. Why? Because he loves us more than we can imagine. May we, as fathers, earnestly and daily pursue this close relationship with God and be the kind of father's that seek close relationships with our children and that our children want that close relationship with. As we love and train our children may we constantly be pointing them to "Abba Father", the one that loves them infinitely more than we have the capacity to love them and may they accept that personal intimate relationship with Him as well. May our lives and theirs bring glory to God, the only one worthy of our praise.

Mark Gilliam
Stewardship Minister