Pastor Brian K. Brown
Psalm 103:8-14
What Does a Dad Offer?
In Psalm 103 David reminds us of the faithfulness of God and of the great father we have in God. We realize that a Father’s Day celebration for some is one with a father that has been called home and for other who have hoped for relationship with a father who is yet alive. But however, the absence of a father, God is always going to be father to all of his children. We can be assured that God steps in as father to us, and we can testify that God has been good to us. Father’s Day is a good day to recognize earthly fathers but it’s even greater to praise God our Father who has been good to us. God is our ‘God-Father’ who plays the whole role of father in our lives. The earthly father we may have is because of the God-Father saw fit to give that dad.
Pastor Brown answered the question ‘What Does a Dad Offer?’ with the following four points: The first point from verses 8 and 9 – The Slowness of a Father’s Anger. It’s not that God and men don’t get angry, but a good dad is slow to anger. When we are angry in our earthly realm, sometimes anger gets out of control and things are said or done that are not in alignment with God’s will, way, or word. Verse 9 lets us know God will be slow in his anger, but whatever we do that’s out of order, and out of Gods will and way, God says don’t think his silence means he’s missed it. He will deal with it at the appropriate time and with the appropriate measure. Our earthy father should model God’s slowness of anger and ask God for help in dealing with the issues that are going on in a kind and loving way.
The second point from verses 10 and 11 – The Strength of a Father’s Mercy. Every dad makes a declaration to do all that he can for their children in providing the materialistic things a child needs and even some of the wish list things. But that’s not the most important thing. The most important things a dad can contribute is mercy. God’s mercy is withholding what we deserve, but withholds it because his love shows us, he’s willing to go the extra mile when we are contrary to what we should be doing. We should have died but God the father showed mercy on us, he didn’t give us what we deserve but gave us love in exchange for our foolishness. We don’t deserve the goodness we receive but because God loves us, he continues to bless us.
The third point comes from verses 12 and 13 – The Scope of a Father’s Forgiveness. God says his willingness to forgive us, in verse 12, is as far as the east is from the west. God does not allow anything we do, say, or think to cause him to not offer us forgiveness. A real dad is always in a position to forgive our trespasses and offenses. God does not allow what we’re doing or have done to cause a missed moment for him to give us his love through forgiveness. Forgiveness is available to us if we ask God for it.
The final point comes from verse 14 – The Security of a Father’s Knowledge. A real dad understands how frail and fragile we can be. God knows we are dust; we are unstable therefor he never gives us more than we can bear and remembers there’s only so much we can take. Verse 14 reminds us that God knows what we can handle, when we are under pressure, and when we’ve had too many bad moments that he does not allow more than we can take. God is not here to destroy our lives, but to develop our lives. He takes our dust and forms something good from the dust we are.
Remember a dad should offer slowness of a father’s anger; the strength of a father’s mercy; the scope of a father’s forgiveness and the security of a father’s knowledge.
On the fourth Sunday, St. Mark will celebrate our high school and college graduates during the 10:45 service and invites everyone to come back at 4:00 p.m. for a drive-through celebration. Remember our live stream service each Sunday on YouTube @ St Mark MBC @ 10:20 and bible study on Wednesdays @ 7:00 p.m.
