To nuke, or not to nuke....

As Kim Jong-un ponders the above question the world waits with baited breath to see what his answer will be, but it also highlights the fact that there are always big questions and big problems that creates stress and concern. If it isn't North Korea it's terrorism, or pandemics, or global financial crises, or global warming, or something else that fires the news reports and creates worry in people's lives.

This is in stark contrast to the overwhelming truth that God isn't worried or stressed!

I don't believe this means that followers of Jesus should be blase or remain uninvolved in these issues. As a part of the mandate to be faithful witnesses to the presence of God's kingdom in the world it is important that we are in the dark places and times to offer love, comfort, grace, and be active in prayer and practical works that demonstrate God's heart for people and for justice. I do believe it means that as Christians we are to be the source of hope and confidence that no matter how desperate the events of the world stage appear, God is ultimately in control and working his plan for the redemption of his creation.

The psalmist reminds us that God is intimately aware and involved in every aspect of our lives (Ps. 139); Jesus points out that his concern for us in greater than we often suspect (Matt. 6:26-24); and whatever the dating of John's Revelation he is encouraging Christians under persecution from either Nero or Domitian that the Lamb has won the victory over the powers and forces of chaos in the world and is, through his people, establishing the ongoing beauty of God's eschatological kingdom. John's message is, "Sure it's tough, sure it's dark, but the light of Christ is getting ever brighter!"

Often I read posts and articles from Christians that seem to have an undertone of panic that if we don't do something all is lost! There are calls to fast and pray and rebuke and bind and loose that imply that Calvary and the empty tomb weren't the decisive acts, the climax of history that have once and for all defeated sin, death and the devil and provided for the enthronement of Jesus as the world's true Lord and the inauguration and victory of his kingdom. And yes, we have a part to play in living into that truth; and yes, there are still forces and powers that resist the incursion of light and life and love; but the overwhelming story of the Bible is that the God who created all things is outworking his ultimate plan for the deliverance and transformation of his creation and that he did so through the death of his Son.

God isn't worried. At a time when Augustus Caesar was hailed as 'Son of God and Saviour', the little group known as Christian claimed that their dead Messiah was, in fact, Son of God and Saviour. At a time when every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Caesar was lord, Paul called on Christians to affirm the truth that everything in heaven and earth and under the earth - the entire cosmology of his day, including Imperial Rome - would bow the knee and confess instead that Jesus was Lord. For a tiny group with every hand against them this seemed a bizarre claim, but for God it was the resounding truth that brought order to chaos, light into darkness and freedom to captives. The witness of the followers of Jesus was a prophetic declaration to the reality Paul's words, "For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him" (Col. 1:16).

Just because the authorities and governments of the world usurp their rightful Lord doesn't mean that God has lost control. I am forever stunned at Peter's inspired observation in his first sermon, "This Jesus, was handed over to you according to God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross" (Acts 2:23). In a later letter Peter reminds a church that despite the opposition they face, all authorities and powers have been subjected to Christ.

My father was born during WW1, my mother during the Great Depression. My Dad served in the Royal Navy in WW2, they were married at the time of the Korean War, and I have lived through a world that witnessed the social upheaval of the 60s, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, the dot com boom and bust, the fall of Communist Russia, two Iraq wars, 9/11, the GFC, not to mention numerous other threats, famines, crises and epidemics. I carry worries and concerns and wonder what it all means for my kids and my grandkids.

But God isn't worried. He's ok. From before any of this began he has been working his purposes for a beautiful future where love and justice have been birthed through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul calls these sufferings birth pains (Rom. 8:22) which cannot begin to compare with what God is bringing through it all.

Those of us who follow Christ are not to worry but to live in a manner that builds towards the future explicit revelation of Christ's worldwide kingdom, "...because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor. 15:58)

I have a couple of Roman coins that are from a time when the future of the Christian church seemed limited and followers of Jesus faced the choice to die or recognise another lord who claimed to be the son of god. That empire is gone, that lord is dead, that threat is passed.  There will always be crises and reasons to wonder at what on earth is going on in the world. Always. But God doesn't worry, he isn't concerned, and he has called a people to continually serve as a reminder that the creator hasn't abandoned his creation but is at work through the chaos and darkness to one day make all things right.

I confess....I'm religious....

The faith tradition I grew up in, and the contemporary church at large, draws a false dichotomy between the experience of God in our lives and what we term 'religion.' We are fond of noting that we aren't religious, we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Religion is seen as the human attempt to win favour with God and earn the right to achieve 'salvation' and as such is understood to be the antithesis of the gospel of grace.

We are wrong.

Not that the gospel is grace, or that human efforts can ever be sufficient for God's approval. Humanity is distorted by the effects of sin and only through Christ can salvation be found and the image of God restored. Where we are wrong is our understanding of religion.

A common cliche when I was growing up was, "I'm not religious, I just love the Lord." But it seems that is exactly what being religious means! In fact, according to James, if our affirmation of loving God is correct, then it will be confirmed by 'religious' behaviour.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27) The way James uses the word 'religion' (Greek, threskeia) is to focus our attention on the heart of 'religious duty' and to contrast that which is false religion. James is indicating, as he does through most of his letter, that if our claim to be followers of God through Christ is valid, then the way we live our lives will reflect it!

The word 'religion' used here means, "religious worship, religious discipline, fear of (a) god, reverence for (a) god, devotion," all very positive aspects of our Christian walk and worship. I believe that what James is expressing in his letter that is important for us to be aware of in our lives is that the Christian worship of God through a life as a disciple of Jesus Christ is reflected in the way that this is practically embodied in our lifestyle.

This is a dangerous thought, James' line-in-the-sand declaration is a dangerous concept. If Christianity is reduced to a personal relationship with Jesus, then it can be an individual, private spirituality. But once the concept of religious devotion practically expressed in action is embraced, then individual must be expanded to involve others, private is replaced by public, and spirituality necessitates an others-oriented component.

The Bible never defines the worship of God as having a personal relationship with God. Yes, such an idea is implied by the teaching that God is our Father, that we are to love as we have been loved, that Christ is the head of the body and groom of the bride etc., but more often we will find commands to obey, a King and Lord to serve, a surrender of self to his will and purposes, and a counter-cultural lifestyle to embrace.

This isn't an either/or choice, but a both/and situation where a personal encounter and relationship with God inspires religious worship and practice. Because I have a loving relationship with my wife I act in the manner I do; and because I have a relationship with my Father in heaven I engage in religious practices.

Religion isn't the opposite of Christian faith, but the heart of it!

Why would I say that? Because Jesus said there were two key aspects to living as the people of God under the New Covenant that summed up everything in the Old Covenant, to love God and love others. One necessitates and births the other. If religion is the activity of practically expressing what I am devoted to, then I am religious because it is the intended purpose of God in my life.

Notice what James says is pure and faultless religion, '...to look after orphans and widows and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.' True, God honouring religion, the practices that please him and reflect his kingdom well, is to care for the oppressed, marginalised and needy; and to live in a way that embodies the values of his kingdom rather than those of our culture.

This verse follows immediately on from those that teach we should be doers of the Word of God, not just hearers; and that we should be careful of the words that we use. The verses immediately following teach about the wrong attitudes that give privilege and preference to the prosperous and wealthy in church rather than treating all people the same - no matter how much they give or how much they have. James is reminding us that in this difficult and corrupt world we need to be religious: that the way we act and live must line up with what we claim to worship and be devoted to.

So, despite all my claims to the contrary over the last thirty-seven and a half years, I discover that I am religious. Or rather, that I want to be. I want to live in a way that is true to the work God has done in me, that is obedient to the guidance of his Spirit and his Word, and that is in conformity with the example of the new humanity God has called us to, exemplified in Jesus.

What about you?

Just another day...

They say it's only a number, just another day like any other, but it's not - at least not to me. I've just celebrated (?) my 50th birthday, and to be honest, I'm not ready for it!

I would have thought that by the time I was fifty I would have a lot more things together, more figured out, with more wisdom and clarity. And I suppose to a degree I have. But seriously, in my head I'm still thirty and trying to make sense of this world.

In my ’zen’ moments I contemplate the reality that the older I get the less I know. They tell me that is wisdom, and maybe it is, but I really don't feel particularly wise. I know I've learned a heck of a lot over the course of my life, but I thought I would have far more clarity about life than I do. The truth is that despite all I have learned and all I have experienced I feel just as confused with the randomness of life as I ever have. 

I think that for so many, if not all of us, life doesn't work out like we expected it would. There are goals and dreams and hopes that I have had throughout my life that haven't eventuated and probably never will. I recently let go of my dream to open the batting for Australia, although despite my near-sightedness and lack of hand-eye-coordination the state of our national team suggests I may have to re-visit that particular dream (I'm still available Mickey Arthur...).

There are many ways in which my life hasn't panned out as expected. Now don't get me wrong - I'm happy. I am deeply in love with my wife, we have a wonderful marriage, I'm crazy about my kids, find fulfillment in my vocation (mostly!), and have a circle of friends that I appreciate and value. So yes, I'm happy, but my half-century has provided an occasion to reflect on the dreams that I held as a twenty and thirty year old and recognise that my life doesn't look like I thought it would....I don't look like I thought I would.

I'm still me!

Despite the fact that I told our church last week that I have changed for the better over the course of my life (and I have), in many ways I still suck, even though, by God's grace, I suck less every day. So in this reflective state I ask myself and God, “What happened? Why is it my plans and dreams didn't work out?”

There are many answers to this question, but I think the over-arching reality is found in Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” The course of my life has been to serve and honour God as best I could, but the ways that has worked out has been determined by the steps by which God has led me.

I have had many dreams and goals, some of them I have accomplished, others I haven't, but throughout my life I can see the hand of God. There are times he has nudged me, times he has explicitly led me, times I have suffered the consequences of my decisions, and times he has miraculously and graciously intervened for my benefit. Although my plans may not have included all of the struggles and difficulties, the highs and the lows, the joy and contentment, the many events that have made up my fifty years (that still seems like such an mature number), God’s big story of my life has brought me to this place; a place where I am happy and hopefully have developed compassion and tolerance and integrity and resilience and faithfulness.

To be honest, the thought of my fiftieth birthday was one of those ’moments’ in life. I think it troubled me more than it should have. But here I am, on the other side, no longer reflecting on what might have been, but overwhelmed by what I have. 

Because God has established my steps. 

What is God like?

'Yellow Curtain,' Matisse

The question of what God is like is something that kids ask their parents, people ask pastors, we all ask ourselves. It's a question that is relevant whether we believe in God, a god, or are an atheist. Even atheists determine what the god is like that evidence is unable to prove.

So, what is God like?

I teach theology so you would think I could explain what God is like, but it's actually not that easy. The problem is that each one of us frames our experience/understanding of God through our own paradigms and personality. We explain God to be a loving God, or an angry God, or a Santa Claus God, or an uninterested God, or a mystical God, or a magical God, or an involved God, or any number of other ideas or concepts that we can imagine.

How, then, can we know God and what he is like?

The easy answer is that the Bible tells us, and that is true....but....I know Christians and teachers and theologians who find the God of the Bible to be a loving God, or an angry God, or a Santa Claus God, or an uninterested God, or a mystical God, or a magical God, or an involved God, or any number of other images that we can draw from the pages of the Bible. Even though God has, I believe, given us a revelation of himself in the scriptures they are still interpreted and understood through our own paradigms and personalities and culture and socio-historical context.

If the answer was as easy as taking the Bible literally in all it says, as some suggest, the problem becomes even greater. The difficulties and intellectual and moral gymnastics required to reconcile a literal interpretation of biblical truth outside of the historical context would seem to be at odds with the nature of the God we seek to know and the kind of people his followers are expected to be. I know, I've tried it.

And yet the Bible is God's revelation of who he is and what he is like. In it's pages we learn his story, his interaction with his creation, and the type of God he is. But how is it so many different people see so many different versions of what God is like?

A few years ago I took my wife to Sydney for a weekend to celebrate her birthday. While we were there we went to the Museum of Modern Art and saw the artistic creations of many talented painters and sculptors - or at least that is what I am given to believe. Although my artistic and creative wife could see the beauty and meaning behind many of the pieces, they just didn't make sense to me. They just seemed to be random colours and patterns without form or shape. Like some of the pictures we have in a box from when our kids were in pre-school.

Thousands disagree with me, because the appreciation of the art isn't based on whether it resembles something but on the use of colour and the response of the person viewing it. Different people can find different beauty and different meanings in the art without invalidating the art or the original intent of the artist.

Is the Bible like that?

Kind of, with a couple of boundaries. You see we can't just make God up to be whoever we want him to be. He is still a person and is still defined by definite characteristics and essential attributes, in the same way I may not understand a piece of abstract art, but I can tell you the colours that have been used in creating the painting. The Bible still teaches a framework within which we understand God - usually expressed within the context of a story - and although his interaction with his creation may change depending on the circumstances (which also tells us something about him and his accommodation to human experience and culture), there are ongoing attributes that are always apparent.

Ultimately there is also one man who stands out from all others in the story of the Bible. Ultimately there is the one man who said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." Ultimately there is Jesus.

What is God like? Jesus.

In some ways this makes the question easier to answer, in other ways more difficult. It is true that what Jesus taught and how he lived and died and rose all have been understood in different ways, but I don't really think that is the difficulty. The difficulty is to actually live in a way that conforms to his example and his vision of the Kingdom of God.

Because the God revealed in Jesus is a God of love and mercy and forgiveness and justice and humility and sacrifice. He is a God who reaches out to those who don't think he cares and chastises those who use his name for their own benefit or the exploitation of others.

The God revealed in Jesus is a gracious God, an unexpected God, an inconvenient God, and an uncomfortable God.

God is like Jesus. This gives us the colours of the picture, the image, that we can use to understand the rest of the picture. It doesn't mean that learning to appreciate and respond to the picture is going to be easy or that we will all agree, but Jesus becomes the way in which we understand God the Father and the revelation of himself he has provided to us.

When we first entered the Museum of Modern Art I was astonished to see that some workmen had left their ladders and tools and tarps around when the museum was open for visitors. It seemed out of place with the sophisticated nature of the experience. Then my wife explained that the 'tools' were actually a piece of artwork, one of the displays.

What is God like? He's like Jesus, and I wonder how often in our lives, in our day-to-day existence, the 'artwork' of God is visible and just not appreciated by us.

God is like Jesus, but does that mean we see him any more clearly?

And nothing changed....

After months (a couple of years?) of campaigning and billions of dollars spent on the US Presidential election it would appear, according to the political commentators, that nothing has changed. Which got me thinking: I haven't posted anything on this blog, due to studies, for around two months, and my laxness doesn't seem to have adversely affected the world. Thankfully I'm secure enough to be content that I don't seem to be having any earth-shaking impact, but do we ever?

My wife made an insightful comment in church a few months ago. She noted that after over thirty years of being told that we are world changers, over-comers, champions etc. the statistics show the Christian church is actually less influential and less relevant than it was when we were teenagers. And that's ok. I think it is a healthy place to be in when we have a clear perspective of reality. Too often we kid ourselves about the influence we are having and over value our importance to both our world and the kingdom of God.

The truth is very few of us will ever change the world, very few of us will ever truly become well-known outside of our small corner of the Christian world. Honestly, that's how it should be. I'm convinced that the one person who has changed the world and who should be known already has and is - Jesus.

I'm not being super-spiritual or patronising, I'm just pointing out something that we seem to have forgotten - or at least marginalised - in our profile obsessed, brand oriented, marketing focused world. The only profile that matters is that of Jesus Christ, he is the one who stands at the centre of world history and whose story is good news for all of creation. 

That doesn't mean I'm insignificant or that my life doesn't matter, it just means that my significance is limited and that allows me to concentrate more on what really matters. I might never change the world, but I can change someone's world.

I can change who I am as a person, as a husband and a father. I can be a good friend and show compassion and love to the people I come into contact with. I can live a life that for the people I know seeks to reflect the grace, justice and love of the Lord I follow.

Humans spend much of their lives, particularly in the current age, aspiring to greater significance and recognition. The accessibility of social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs (!), etc. give us an outlet to express our search for significance and represent an unrealistic view of our importance. I'm not suggesting that these are bad or that we shouldn't have a desire or ambition to make a difference, simply that if we are able to keep these in perspective we have healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives.

I love my life and the people I get to share it with. Yes, there are things I would change, everyday isn't wonderful, tough times come and go. Jesus gave us the example of rather than seeking more meaning and significance for ourselves we are better off seeking it for other people. My faith teaches me that Jesus of Nazareth was the perfect human being, humanity as we were always intended to be, and that God's desire is that we are all changed, transformed, grown, matured to look like him. An important point in his message and example was that we should be to and for others in the same way we desire for them to be to and for us. 

Your name may never appear in the history books, the world at large may be unaware you are here, but if you seek to live for others they will know...and may do the same...and then, just maybe, the world will change...

A very disturbing book.

On Friday Amazon suggested that I buy a book. Usually I ignore their suggestions because they don't interest me, this week was different, this week I think Amazon must have been listening to God.

The book they suggested piqued my interest, and after perusing the content and reviews I downloaded it. And I read, and I read, and I cried, and I felt God confront me and the way I live my life. For a few years now God has been changing the way I view the Christian life, and over the last couple of years he has formed within me the possibility of something very different. We are beginning to pursue this in our church and we aren't completely certain where it will end...but I digress.

The book Amazon suggested was, 'The Barefoot Church' by Brandon Hatmaker - read it at your peril. (No, seriously, read it!) Hatmaker tells the story of his transition from 'church as usual' to the core of their church life being to serve the poor and needy in their city. There's a lot more than that (you can read it yourselves...when you BUY THE BOOK!), but that is the theme that has troubled me and now confronts me. Let me explain.

My conviction is that the church is the visible expression of the presence of God's kingdom. I love the way Tom Wright puts it, “This is what it's like when God’s in charge.” If this is a true conviction - and I am biblically positive that it is, just read the NT - then our lives, individually and in community, should carry the example set by Jesus and the early church. It's not my place or my right to judge how others live, but my shame is that my life doesn't image the kingdom the way Jesus did.

I know all the objections and caveats that spring to mind right now, and some of them are valid, but just press pause for a moment and consider the values and virtues of the kingdom of God compared to how we often live. I am convicted by the amount of time, money and resources spent on making me comfortable for an hour or so on a Sunday when people are homeless and hungry in my city. I am assured that people won't attend church in summer if we don't air-condition our buildings, and I know the truth of this, and I wonder what would happen to our faith is there was real opposition to the church, if our faith truly cost us something?

Following Jesus was never presented as a comfortable lifestyle in the New Testament, it was always difficult and costly. Yet we live a comfortable Christianity without real sacrifice. Even the call to give and serve is often so that our church can provide better facilities and resources for........us.

I know this sounds negative, and I'm sorry. I don't want to criticise other people, I just want to ask the question, “Is our faith supposed to be about us or about others?” In answering that question we could reply that we desire to preach the gospel, to get people to heaven, and that is a good intention. The gospel changes lives and is the good news that God has set in motion his plan to redeem his creation, to establish his kingdom by Jesus’ sacrifice and victory as the world’s true Lord. But have we read the gospels?

Jesus preached the kingdom, and demonstrated it by caring for the sick, the hurting, the needy and the marginalized. The kingdom of God isn't seen by how much we have for ourselves, but how much we give (read, time, talent and resources) for the ’least of these.’ This isn't the social gospel or a technique to get people ’saved,’ it's being followers of Jesus and carriers of God’s love for humanity. Jesus didn't seem to concern himself about whether the people he ministered to ended up following him or not - although I'm sure he did. He did what was right and represented the grace, mercy, love and justice of God’s kingdom.

This is my challenge, this is the disturbing and confronting reality that God has brought crashing into my heart. In what way is my life and that of my faith community truly reflecting the sacrificial and selfless concern of God for his creation?

I could write so much more, God is messing with my head in so many ways. If you have found this negative or even rambling, I'm really sorry. In some ways this blog addition was just for me. But I am deeply convicted by God that, for me, so many things must change.

So let me leave you with a paraphrase of a few verses from Matthew 25 (with a slight addition from me) that were quoted in ’Barefoot Church’:

“I was hungry while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported (or at least processed off-shore). I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.”

In what ways does the life of Jesus challenge you? Are there some aspects or our Christian walk that need re-evaluating?

Posted with Blogsy

Dads

It's Father's Day, so I thought it only appropriate that I blog about dads. There are three aspects of fatherhood that immediately spring to mind - my dad, being a dad, and God as my Father. These relationships are a significant (I could say almost dominant) part of who I am and how I live my life. So, what comes to mind on Father's Day?

My dad died when I was eight years old. Research tells us that late childhood to early adolescence is the hardest time to lose a parent. I don't know if that's true, but it was for me. My mum was an amazing lady, but she wasn't a dad. In some ways she caused me to miss him more by telling me stories about this seemingly perfect man. My own memories of him are enmeshed with her stories, so I grew up without a dad and wondering how I could ever live up to the image of him that I carried. 

From what I know I am a lot like my dad. We both care deeply about people, love sport, value family, and give some leadership to the tribes we belong to. These are good attributes for which I am thankful. I wish he had lived so I could have really known him and he could have enjoyed his daughter-in-law and grand-children. I wish I hadn't gone through a times when I resented him for leaving me so young. I wish he had been a tangible role-model rather than a memory. 

I can wish for many things and not receive them. What I have received from my dad, apart from the genetic qualities I have inherited and the fond memories I carry, is the gift of self-awareness. Working through the grief, hurt, resentment, disappointment and even, I learned, a fear of abandonment has caused me to understand myself better and grow as a person. I am a better man, husband and father because of these struggles. For someone who is an extrovert and naturally poor at self-reflection this is a valuable gift. 

When I became a dad my world was changed. I sought to be all I thought my dad was and all he might have been had he lived. I discovered that being a dad is a difficult and natural role. There are some aspects of fatherhood that are easy and require no effort at all, and others that need hard work and development. One very wise dad in our church called fatherhood, "A wild ride", and he's right. We get stuff wrong, we get stuff right, and, thankfully, kids are resilient and bounce. Being a dad isn't an easy gig, but it's a worthwhile one. 

My children are a huge part of defining who I am. I don't just mean in the role that I play as a parent but in my relationships with them as people, and as reflections of the best and worst of me. I see myself more clearly in their lives. This brings great joy and concern, but mainly it brings humility. My children are a mix of me, my wife and themselves. They help me to see my part in this world with greater clarity and the legacy I am leaving. My children will shape our tomorrow. They have brought out feelings I didn't know I possessed and have taught me so much. 

I will never stop being a dad and that means I can never stop growing and caring and being astounded at what these people who bear a little of my image (they get their good looks from their mother and their appetites from me...) become and achieve. 

A mistake we often make is to apply our understanding of fatherhood to God. Rather, the opposite is necessary, that we apply our understanding of God to being a father (or parent, if you prefer). The fatherhood of God defines his relationship to his creation and to his unique relationship to Jesus, his Son, God incarnate and the second person of the Trinity. Who God is, how he interacts with us, his character and his actions, all inform us as to how to be fathers and mothers, family and friends - human. 

Where I can see qualities of my dad in my personality and elements of my personality in my children, I am encouraged that my heavenly Father is, by his Spirit, forming elements of his character in me. His love, mercy, grace and justice bring definition to how I live my life. I may be a flawed and imperfect copy of my Father, but by his grace I am a work-in-progress. 

I consider being a dad one of my greatest challenges and privileges. The concept of 'dad' has shaped how I see myself, other people and my world. The power of memory, self-awareness, love, joy, humility, sacrifice, transformation and hope are all tied up in the little word, dad. 

The idea of 'dad' means different things to different people. There are good dads, bad dads, and terrible dads. There are absentee dads and intentionally present dads. Often (mostly?) there are confused dads. Most of us try to do our best knowing that it will never be perfect but hoping that it is enough. And thankfully, mostly, it is. 

As another Father's Day ended and I went to bed with presents, meaningful words in a card and having eaten far too much, I thought again about these three aspects of fatherhood: my dad, being a dad, and my Father. I realized that they are connected. I have tried to become what I feel I missed out on understood through the paradigm our Father God. And this brings me purpose, contentment and joy. 

This was a good Father's Day.