We All Need A Father!

Our world has aged an all-out war on fatherhood. Government programs encourage absentee fathers by offering mothers more money if the father is not in the picture. Television programs depict fathers as buffoons or abusive. And then pop psychology tells single moms that they are superheroes because they can do the job of both parents. I'm not knocking single moms at all. However, they may take on the household responsibilities of both parents, but they cannot do the job of both parents. Why do I say we need fathers?

1. The 10 Commandments

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. - Exodus 20:12

It is not honor your father "or" mother. It is honor your father "and" mother. There needs to be a father present and active in your life (or at least he was until he died) so that you can keep this commandment.

2. Father's are responsible for the religious teaching of their children.

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. - Ephesians 6:4

Fathers are to train their children to serve God and provide the warnings of failure to do so. Mothers do this as well, but God placed primary responsibility on the Father. The man is to be the head of the home. This does not mean dictator, but rather primary responsibility bearer. If things are not right in the home, God looks to the man first.

3. Fathers are supposed to model who God is to us.

As a father pities his children,

So the LORD pities those who fear Him.

14 For He knows our frame;

He remembers that we are dust. - Psalm 103:13-14

God gave us fathers so that we could better understand the relationship we are to have with Him. Dads are supposed to be a living object lesson to their children of grace, mercy, compassion, training, chastisement, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

There are more reasons I could list, but I won't for time’s sake. In summary, the reason we need fathers is because that is how God designed it. So, men need to step us, suck it up, and be who God called them to be. Yes, it means leaving behind your childhood. Yes, it means taking on a lot of responsibility. If a man does not want to be a father, then he needs to remain celibate. As Christians, we do not need to buy into the lie that we do not need fathers. The Bible clearly teaches differently.

If you did have a lousy dad, or you never knew your dad, remember that you have a Father in Heaven.

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name" (Luke 11:2). He loves you (I John 4:8; John 3:16). He is always there and will never leave you nor abandon you (Hebrews 13:5).

To those Dads who do their best to be what God called them to be, Happy Father's Day!