3 Reflections on the Daddy-Daughter Dance

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named.” –Ephesians 3:14-15

Ephesians teaches us that human fathers are to model their fatherhood on that of our Heavenly Father, “from whom all fatherhood on heaven and on earth is named.” This is no easy task! Our Heavenly Father is perfect –and human fathers certainly are not. Even so, there are many ways that we can emulate the fatherhood of God in the way we behave as fathers on a day-to-day basis.

Three weeks ago, Christ Presbyterian hosted its first annual Daddy-Daughter Dance. Fathers and daughters from all over the community came to the church to celebrate together, dance together, and deepen their relationship. As I’ve reflected on the event, three ways human fathers can emulate our Heavenly Father stand out in my mind:

1.Love Always: The most touching sight I saw at the dance was a father who brought his infant daughter. She had no idea what was going on, yet her father understood that fathers are to love always, at all times, and in all stages of their children’s lives. Aren’t you glad that your Heavenly Father loved you before you were formed in your mother’s womb, that he has loved you at every stage of life ever since, and that he will love you to the very end of time?

2.Love Unconditionally: I’m nearly certain that some of the fathers at the dance would have rather been anywhere else. But their love for their daughters is unconditional. It isn’t constrained to the times and places that the fathers prefer. The love of our Heavenly Father is like that. He loves us when we’re rambunctious, when we’re stubborn, when we’re obstinate, when we’re misguided, and when we’re downright sinful. His love is unconditional.

3.Love Extravagantly: Several of the fathers not only brought their daughters to the dance, but also took them out for a nice dinner beforehand. They put on a suit and tie and pulled out all the stops. They loved their daughters extravagantly. Our Heavenly Father loves us extravagantly as well. The Bible says it this way: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Love doesn’t get more extravagant than that.
 
Fathers, we have a high calling -to love as he first loved us.

Your Pastor and Friend,
John Knox Foster