Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - FATHER'S DAY 2024

                                                                                              

                                    FATHER’S DAY 2024

Father’s Day was first conceived by Sonora Smart Dodd, who wanted to create a day to honour her father, a Civil War veteran who became a widower and then raised Sandra Dodd and her siblings alone after her mother passed away. The idea spread and grew in popularity  after it started and, in 1972, became a holiday in the US, along with it being celebrated in many other countries as well. Created to honour one man, it has since stood everywhere to honour those men who are there, or should be there, to honour in turn their wives, their children, and most importantly their God.

After all, everything that we are able to do, give, or obtain is ultimately a gift to us from God and, therefore, this day should really be a day, as should all others, when we give honour to Him as our ultimate Father. It is a day when we, if possible, should be with Him for at least part of the Day.

Israel [Jacob] recognized this principle when he blessed Joseph by saying in part:

…The God who has fed me all my life long to this day… 

(Genesis 48:15)

Joshua also realized the overriding need to recognize the overlying fathership of the true God when he said:

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, 

[then] choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, 

whether the gods which your fathers served…or the gods of the Amorites…

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

(Joshua 24:15)

As Jacob before him, Joshua recognized the Lord was the one who:

…fed me all my life long to this day… 

(Genesis 48:15)

and also that He was the one…

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases, 

(Psalm 103:3)

and that

He heals the brokenhearted 

And binds up their wounds 

(Psalm 147:3)

because 

…I am the Lord who heals you. 

(Exodus 15:26)

And in addition, the Bible states that

…You are the God of my salvation… 

(Psalm 25:5)

and

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid? 

(Psalm 27:1)

The one who provides, forgives and heals, treats, and gives strength, as well as being our salvation: should not He be the ultimate Father we all honour on this day?

Perhaps it is something we all should think about.