Father’s Day Meditation from Englewood Christian Church

The following Father’s Day meditation was written and shared by John Clanton this morning, 17 June 2012, as the communion meditation at Englewood Christian Church, here on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis.  I am honored to share this extraordinary reflection here…

On this day in which we celebrate fatherhood, I am reminded of the awesome responsibility which is ours as fathers.  Let me be the first to admit that I have fallen short of the mark.  I see us, fathers, as mere shadows standing in representation of God in the lives of our children. Whether we are biological fathers or we have embraced children whom God had placed in our lives, the responsibility is the same.

As born-again believers, we take our young by the hand and begin to escort them through life.  The light by which they see is emanating mostly from our own knowledge and experience.  With those obvious limitations, we are only able to light their path for two or three paces ahead. At some point their conversation begins to change. I look at the path and notice that my dim spotlight has begun to fade. The light of dawn is taking over and they are being awakened to a new reality.

As I escort them to the foot of the cross where the sinless, perfect one died in our place, taking on Himself the shame and stigma of the cross, I raise their hands high above my head and two steps backwards (I must decrease that He may increase).

I travel along with them a ways encouraging them in their newfound walk as they embrace the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves, which we call discipleship.  At this point, they are beginning to walk fully in the radiant outshining of God’s glory emanating from his countenance.  I take a few more steps back and fade into the background, joining that great cloud of witnesses in celebration and praise, for those who were lost in a far country have come home to their true father who welcomes them with arms outstretched and hands open wide.

As we partake of this communion meal, let us with arms outstretched and hands open wide, embrace all those fatherless children right here in this neighborhood where God has placed Englewood Christian Church, and let us escort them into the glorious presence of his Majesty, King of Kings  and Lord of Lords. This is my prayer for us this Father’s Day in Jesus’ name. Amen.