Now the Sons goes. Off to do his thing, but I want you to focus on the Single father, who without argument or questions or delaying tactics complied with the boys’ request, just how many of us today, single or otherwise would be so compliant and so understanding or humble, if our child should get at us like that? I also know a many of you can’t wait for your child to get out of your life. Are there anyone like that here?
But I see this father as he watched the boy go, saying a prayer for God to protect his child, to keep him safe from all hurt and harm and bring him home safely, the tears not only in his heart, but overflowing as David stated in Psalms 23:5 “my cup runneth over.” There’s no shame for a man to cry and there’s no shame in a true father’s love.
The Father turns arounds walks back in the house, even though his oldest son is still at home, it just doesn’t seem the same, There’s something missing, something out of place, an absence that is so depressing that a father began to pray for God’s help to help him turn him loose, help him not to worry as he’s doing, help him stop pacing the floor, yard eccettra.
You Father’s Know that we may not talk about it like the women, but we that love our children, have a void when they are missing even a little while, how about those times when we don’t know where their at? We began to call around to their friends house, check the schools, playgrounds, their favorite hangout, eateries, we get worried when we don’t know where their at, we get worried when we don’t hear from them, why because that’s what a real father do, He cares, He’s protective, He loves, He investigates, He lords, He provides, He supports. Worries.
A father worries about, if the childs funds are holding up, or if not; has he made in roads to a job or means to earns money, or has he spent it all as stated in verse 14 of Luke 15.
Also that Father is wondering is my child getting enough to eat, or is he starving as stated also in verse 14, “There arose a great starvation in the land, like todays Africa or other countries that are on feed the children, making our children in want or need of a meal. He might be out there panhandling or begging without results, do you feel my pain as a father in Luke 15, this boy was so hungry he wanted to eat the husk from the corn, for you who may not know what that is outside of the ear of corn that green leafy, part you peel away to get to the inside, can you imagine being that hungry? but, even then no one would even give him the husk from the corn. This boy is starving, but Dad’s praying for him. I can see that Father looking out his window or downs the road or in the corner of his mind looking, praying, crying, expecting that boy to come home, he’s missing his child, he’s worried about his child, he love’s his child, he wants his child, but many children are unaware of the suffering, torment, heart rending that goes on with us fathers, when they do call and check up on us and ask how are we doing? Instead of opening up and being honest and say I miss you, I need some of your time, I need to see you, I want to know how you are doing, I need you to come by more often, I need you to check up on me more, especially as I get older, no but we say, I’m alright, or everythings okay, all them years we invested in their upbringing, we in this world today are not into family values or giving back, well its their life. I beg to differ that child is your life, be honest, let them know you are and so they will care for you. Many parents die from broken hearts after their children leave home, they became so lonely and feel rejected by their children after all they done for them, Notice in verse 17.” And when he came to himself.” When understanding hit him, when clearity assaulted his mind, when he became aware, I’m inclined to think because of the prayers of the father and that deep seated love. That boy recognized that, hey What’s wrong with me, I come from a well off family, even though my father is a single parent, we never wanted for anything he has’ food to spare (verse 17) even the hire help has plenty and I’m out here starving cause of my pride, you young people know what I’m talking about? Because of your pride, you’d rather suffer, use drugs, whore, rob, steal, burgulize break the law or work jobs that you are not happy with or do things you were not taught to do, instead of swallowing your pride and going home where there’s a hand of love waiting to help you once again, A father that misses you, praying for you, routing for you.
There was a friend of mine who took something belonging to his father and committed crimes with it, cause the son to eventually go to prison for life, the father was so hurt that his son would do something like that, how could he disrespect him and his property like that, the father for years was so upset with his son he cut out all contact with his sons. He didn’t answer the son’s letters or phone calls, he wouldn’t visit him evens in prison, but what the father didn’t understand was that son truly loved him more than anything in the world and that son wanted his father’s forgiveness. That son was hurting just as much, if not more than that father.
A friend having a chance talked to that father and told him how much his son praised him, bragged on him, loved him, needed him back in his life, that friend on behalf of that son extended his sincere apologies and won that father/son relations back. The father still loves that son so much that he finally forgave that son, began to accept the sons phone calls, began to write the sons letters and send him money and the misdeed was part of the past why becomes that father love is for real, that’s a father’s love and its everlasting from birth to death.
Our child may become a drug addict, a thief, a criminal, murder, or the president, congressman, lawyer, liar whatever, the case maybe, he is still our blood who we brought in this world, took care of when they were sick, fed when they were hungry, clothed when naked, visit in jail or prison, financially supported until they could do it themselves, not because that’s what fathers are supposed to do, no, but because we love you, in spite of that’s a father’s love.
That boy in Luke 15:18 said: I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, [as in Exodus 20:12 “Honor your Father and your Mother that your days maybe long upon the land which the Lord your God giveth you.”] and I am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of the hire help. [verse 19]
You see that Father believed in prayer and he kept watch and knowing God answers prayer he was out and about one day and saw his son coming home, still a great ways off, joy filled that father’s heart and he took off running to meet that boy, them old arthritic knees didn’t stop him, those old aching joints nothing prevented him from running to his sons embrace, and kissing him as tears ran down his face, [verse20] for this son who I thought might have been dead, but is right here, “alive,” who was lost to me, but now is found and back at home, [verse 24] so bring here the best clothes and put it on him, bring the bling and put on him, put shoes on his aching feet, we’re gonna bust a move, it’s party time [verse 22–23]
However, no matter what you do, when you have children it don’t seem like you can do it right, jealous or sibling rivalry occurs as here, the older brother comes back from work and hears the goings on, and asked someone, what’s up? They tell him your little brother returned home and your dads pulled out all stops.
The oldest brother gets mad and refuses to even go into the house, thinking what kind of mess is this, I’ve been here slaving daily, to keep things going while my little brother went off doing his thing, I don’t get no recognition or party. What’s up with that, he was pissed.
The Father came out to his older son and asked what the problem was and he gave his Father and ear full of complaints but the Father in his love and understanding showed the older son that because of the return of his younger brother a burden has been lifted off him and now things are back to normal we three are one, once again.
In closing no matter if you are a single Father or not, anyone can be a dad, but only the sincere, devoted, caring, protective, concerned, compassionate, loving can be Father’s, this is a Father’s love.
Another thing about a Father’s love, it does not discriminate between one or the other such as when God was blessing Abraham, God told Abraham he would bless his seed through Isaac [Genesis 17:21] but Abraham said yes, but what about Ishmael my son by Hager the Egyption maid to my wife Sarah. By Abraham request God said “and as for Ishmael, I have heard you, look, I have also blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly, twelve