BELIEVING IN THE CALLING OF FATHERHOOD
BELIEVING IN THE CALLING OF FATHERHOOD- The Calling
The first time I set eyes on my first-born child I had a personal epiphany, a moment that carried such a depth of clarity and emotion as to be unforgettable. My wife and I were in the delivery room of the Gold Coast Hospital after a long and exhausting labor and then suddenly my son was born. In that moment I went from a young man who had become a husband, to an expectant dad who then became a father. I physically felt my capacity for love grow as my heart swelled with pride at the sound of his first cry.
I know that there are many young fathers who have experienced something similar at the moment of their child’s birth, a sense of awe that released a wave of love and pride within their hearts. The power of that moment in our lives as young fathers is important to maintain and to build upon as it is a foundation stone for much of what will follow later.
BELIEVING IN THE CALLING OF FATHERHOOD-Non-involved Dads
Now I know that for some men this important life event is merely a blip on the computer monitor of life, and they believe that it is more of a nuisance for them personally rather than a blessing. In many cases, these men had no intention of being committed in their relationship with the mother of their child, to them it was just another sexual encounter as they ‘sowed their wild oats’. To these men, the child that is born is merely a problem and a responsibility that they did not look forward to as a man and now often seek to avoid.
The main obstacle that they face in enjoying the experience of fatherhood is that they have not had that moment of ‘connecting’ with their child. I believe that each man has within him the capacity to ‘connect’ with their child, but it is an experience that our hearts must be open to as men first. This ‘connection’ can ‘potentially’ come at any time if we as a man truly desire to be involved in the life of the child we have helped create.
BELIEVING IN THE CALLING OF FATHERHOOD- The Calling of Fatherhood
Without a doubt, one of the greatest things that we can ever do on this earth is to become a father. Ever since Creation men have been experiencing the joy of transforming from being single to becoming a married couple, then transforming from a married couple to a family. This is the pathway through adulthood and maturity that we as men are destined to follow, a road that has been prepared for us by our loving heavenly Father.
There is a ‘high calling’ to fatherhood that God places upon us as men, it is a timeless vocation to stand in the place of ‘leader’ and ‘protector’ of your family. It is important for us as men to understand that as a ‘God-given calling‘ it also comes with an empowerment or ability to perform it. God never asks us to do something without giving us the ability to do what He requires.
The calling into ‘fatherhood’ is a sign that God trusts you with the most precious items to be found in this world, namely our children. Thankfully God doesn’t just leave us to work it all out ourselves, but has placed His guidance for fathers in His written word ‘The Bible’. Many men including myself find daily help and wisdom from God through the lifestyle of being a praying father.
BELIEVING IN THE CALLING OF FATHERHOOD- Our Role
Our heavenly Father knew that each child born would need a protector to watch over them, a carer to love them, a teacher to inform them, and a shepherd to guide them in life. These roles have been delegated widely to both parents but are far more effectively accomplished when a father is deeply committed and involved in the life of the child.
‘Great Dads’ believe in their calling to fatherhood, and because they believe they are also willing to fully invest themselves in the pursuit of becoming the best father they can be. Fatherhood is not merely a responsibility that we have to carry, it is an honorable calling that we have been entrusted with, and it is up to us as fathers to rise to the challenge God has set before us!
God Bless
John Nolan
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