Fatherhood

Posted on Jun 14, 2013

This weekend is all about Dad! For some, it’s time to try and find something to give Dad that he doesn’t already have. For others, they’ll only be able to pick up the phone because they live in another state. Yet for many, it’s about wanting to hear your dad’s voice just one more time.

This is the first Father’s Day that I will not have my Dad. Many of us have felt the emptiness that remains after losing their Dad. You miss seeing them, talking to them and knowing they had your back. With Father’s Day this weekend, I deal with an even greater loss.  Although it’s only been five weeks since I lost my Dad, it seems like forever since my Spiritual Father passed away.

What is a Spiritual Father? A spiritual father reproduces spiritual children who have a passionate and intimate relationship with God the Father. The spiritual growth process of these children and young men must continue so that they also become spiritual fathers who reproduce spiritual children.

You are not a spiritual father just because you know the Word and have a deep relationship with Christ. Until you disciple and reproduce Christlike maturity in others, you have no spiritual children. Without children, you’re not considered a father.

My spiritual father provided food for my soul through the Word. He covered me when I would go astray. He fought for me, he taught me and I always knew that he was praying for me. There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong. However, Harry Mushegan, my spiritual father was willing to take the time and effort to help me grow to become the man of God I am today. I miss that Father deeply.

This weekend I will celebrate being the father to three sons and a daughter, along with ‘Pops’ to four granddaughters and a grandson on the way. However, as I celebrate being a dad and grandfather, I grieve the loss of my spiritual father.

Tonight my wife reminded me that I’m a father to more than four children and Pops to more than five grandchildren. I’m a Spiritual Father to so many amazing children and for that, I’m very thankful and celebrate my Heavenly Father!

This Father’s Day I urge you to not only celebrate the man that you call dad, but remember those men in your life who gave you spiritual guidance. Remember the ones that took the time to nurture you, to counsel you and to pray for you. You’ll never know how valuable they are until they’re gone.