Fathers
Originally written for Father’s Day, June 21, 2009
By The Q.O.E.
Revised and reprinted
For Father’s Day, June 17, 2018
Fathers are “s’posed” to be strong and wise… loyal and bold and true;
They’re “not allowed” to gasp and sob like Moms and children do.
From birth they play more rugged games at home and when at school;
They gravitate to engine noises, hunting and power tools.
When God created Adam, He was his Father, sure;
God Fashioned him out of simple dirt, yet meant him to be pure.
Eve offered him forbidden fruit, and, easy to convince,
He took a bite and sin was born…we’ve all been sinful ever since.
Then Adam left the Garden with his wife and temptress Eve;
To them was born a fam’ly…together they did cleave.
The whole of God’s creation was theirs to use and till,
Through sweat-browed heavy labour their daily needs were filled.
So, how did Adam “father,” without Doctors Phil or Spock?
What was his how-to manual, his parenting solid-rock?
He only had HIS father for a model and a guide,
Thus children were instructed and humanity survived.
Then God begat another child, beloved, holy son;
The union of earth and heaven, Spirit and flesh made One.
Jesus knew a simple life and laboured with His hands,
He loved His earthly parents and He honored their commands.
He had no children of His own, yet father indeed was He,
Proving in His perfection what the ideal man could be:
Loving, accepting, hospitable, kind, welcoming without end,
Wisely feeding all His “sheep;” weeping at loss of friend.
Respecting authority, standing His ground, winning a battle of wits,
Brave in adversity, noble in death, the label of “hero” fits.
Then resurrected, ascended above, again in Spirit birthed;
To comfort and nurture His children below, marooned in this wreck
called “earth.”
Thus all fathers, who struggle today to love, protect, provide,
More lucky than Adam, who strove alone, have Jesus at their side.
Here’s a tribute to fathers, the great, the confused, the scared and
overwhelmed,
Dear ones now gone from the earth and its toil, ones who give Jesus
the helm.
You are a reflection of God and His Son, of love unconditional,
strong,
Your standards are high and you model them well, your legacy lingers
long…
Long as your line of descendants may be, priceless is saving souls:
He, who gives God to a child in his youth, eternity may control.
Even when fathers try and fail, or fail for they do not try,
Deserving of love and honor are they, at least in their Father’s eyes.
The greatest earthly gift there is…is the gift of a parent’s care,
Tangible proof in the here and now of Our Father-in-the-Air.