The Wonder Of Being Father
Trish and I were praying on the eve of Fathers' Day.
A vision filled my senses; it was as though I was in an MRI machine inside a woman's womb as she conceived a child. Awesome! A miracle unfolding! It was so clear that God was there too; our Father, warm, smiling, rejoicing.
There on the right was an egg, the ovum from the woman, waiting .. From the left came a vigorous swimming sperm, the seed. The sperm reached the egg and I saw what looked like a kiss, when hormones were released to allow only that sperm to fertilise the egg. (My heart was filled with wonder, it was very romantic).
Then that which science cannot explain began; the two cells merged .. I could see the membrane of the ovum opening and making way for the sperm cell, then its nucleus opened and its DNA strand moved out to meet the DNA strand from the father, (normally you need an electron microscope to see these building blocks of life).
Father God's hands were there, pairing DNA bases; the billions of DNA base pairs from the mother and the billions from the father do not join to make one longer strand .. The two strands merge, just one base from each two is taken into the baby's DNA making him or her a unique person, yet in every way a child of both parents. The selection of all the characteristics is not a chance event, nor an accident, nor serendipity. Our Father in heaven does the choosing, even if our mum and dad do not know Him, (Psalm 139:13) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
This is how He knows the number of the hairs on our head, and the number of our days. No wonder then that His Word says that we are worth more than many sparrows (Luke 12:7), we are hand made by God!
As I watched, the new baby grew to about the eight-week stage; it was still less than an inch long, about the size of a raspberry. Although everything was only beginning to be formed the baby could move its arms, I could see its heartbeat. A miracle!
I am a father, Trish and I have six children, now grown, four young men and two young women. We are also grandparents of three. From our first conception until today, fatherhood has been thrilling, satisfying and rich for me, and I know that motherhood has been of vast wonder and significance for Trish. Fatherhood is also difficult, demanding and often painful. But what do I most remember? Thrilling, satisfying and rich ..
Jesus' purpose for my vision became clear; my joy at being father to my children is a genuine taste of our Heavenly Father's joy in being our Abba Father ..
I see how great is Father's joy at every conception .. He rejoices in every new baby, every life .. He longs to add each one to His family .. There are 7½ billion of us in the world and despite all the awful stuff we see, our Father's desire for us has never wavered, He created each one, loves each one and desires intimacy and relationship with each one .. How He must ache at all the hatred and greed and meanness! But at the same time, He must be delighted that so many live loving lives full of gratitude and kindness .. and that so many millions have found Him, the source and object of life and love ..
Come Lord Jesus .. Fill me anew .. Show your plans for me .. Lead me forward .. (Mark 1:17) And Jesus said to them, "Follow me .. ".
Amen.
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Praise Jesus.
