The 3Ps of Fatherhood
by Oliver Carlos
While browsing the photo albums in my father’s house, I saw a picture of my 12-year old self. I was seated on my father’s chair and wearing his jacket. Beside me was a cabinet with my father’s tennis rackets, tennis balls, and medals and trophies he won in his well-decorated career as an athlete. I thought of a fitting caption for the photo: “I want to be like my Dad.”
Psychologists agree on the kids’ need of a father figure in their growing years. I thank God he provided me one. Later, as I grew up and became a father myself, I found out that being a father is a tough job. I learned much of my fatherhood skills from my father himself. He did well, and so I had something to look up to when my time came to be one.
There are no perfect fathers because we are all human. Only God is perfect. And that is why in the Bible, his being our Heavenly Father is often mentioned. He has shown what a good father looks like, by being a good father to us. As the perfect Father, he gives us these 3 things:
Provision- God our Father provides us our daily bread and everything we need. In traditional Filipino courtship, the parents of the girl being courted wanted to make sure that the suitor of their daughter is a capable provider. They have a staple question to the suitor: May ipapakain ka na ba sa anak ko at sa magiging anak ninyo? (Do you have a livelihood to feed my daughter and your future children?). The suitor just can’t be lazy and irresponsible. Good thing God has the power to feed us. He knows the needs of his children and he provides them generously. Here’s a verse about God being a provider:
“Don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing…your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them.” (Matthew 6:31–32, TLB)
Protection- Fathers protect their family members from physical harm, and from any kind of danger. We fathers don’t want our kids to get hurt or harmed by bad people. We don’t want criminals to lay a finger on our family. We’ll fight for them when needed. God our Heavenly Father is actively watching over us, as mentioned in Jesus’ prayer:
“…these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name…” (John 17:11, ERV)
Permanence- Our Heavenly father will never leave us nor forsake us, no matter what. He is faithful, he keeps his word, he will always be there for us. He will perform his role as our father thru thick and thin, in every chapter of our life, up to eternity.
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”(Isaiah 68:5, NIV)
This verse tells us that there will be times when we will feel fatherless or literally be one. But fret not, because God will stand in and fill the void. He will let us feel his fatherly love and help us in our life journey. We have a father forever.
Dear friend, my prayer today is for you to experience the fatherhood of God in whatever you are going through right now.
