“The love of a Father”

 For weeks leading up to the birth of my son, my wife would ask me the same question over and over again: “Honey, are you going to cry when Elijah is born?” My response: “Nah! I don’t think so”, I would say with confidence. I felt excited about the fact that I would soon be a father; but the idea of me breaking down in tears was too hard for me to fathom. Thoughts of that specific moment when I would hold my son for the first time would cross my mind. I guess I never had the time to sit down and really think about it. My wife and I were married for just three months when we find out that she was pregnant and we were still adapting to the married life, I never really had the time to think about that special moment.

That special moment would come just after 3:00 pm on October 21, 2007.  When my son came out and I laid my eyes on him, a feeling of joy and love came over me. There were many thoughts that began to cross my mind. I saw a helpless baby boy that would need a provider; a baby boy that would need guidance to survive in this cruel world. I knew that he had just arrived to the world, but for some reason, I was proud of him. He hadn’t accomplished anything yet, but yet, I was proud of him!

Then I began to think about his future. I pictured him graduating from kinder garden; I pictured us playing basketball and teaching him how to shoot the ball left handed; I pictured him graduating from high school and college with honors; I pictured him being this perfect person knowing deep down inside no one is ever perfect. This moment did in fact bring tears to my eyes. More importantly, this moment taught me something very special. It taught me about the love of my Heavenly Father.

When Jesus Christ was teaching his disciples how to pray, He told them to begin their prayer saying “Our Father which art in heaven……..” We live in a time where many men have failed in their fatherly duties. However it is great to know that we can approach God, the creator of heaven and earth, as a needy child approaches a father. Psalms 103:13 and 14 says, “Just as a Father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” Sometimes we are hesitant to give our lives completely to God because we feel that we have done too much wrong. However, just like I was proud of my son from the moment he was born; our heavenly Father was and still is so proud of us, that he sent his son to die for us so we can have a personal relationship with Him. The bible says in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We never deserved God’s love. We never did anything special nor did we accomplish anything for God to give us His love and grace. However, God wants his children do succeed. His word tells us in Philippians 4:13 “that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us.” It doesn’t matter your situation, it doesn’t matter how many times you have failed, and our Heavenly Father helps us in our weakness. There are many young people who have grown up without a father, but his word tells us in Psalm 68:5 that he is a “father to the fatherless.” God has a plan for his children. Psalm 57:2 says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.” Our Heavenly Father is not a father who walks away from his children. My suggestion to you is to keep your faith in Him for he is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). When my son cries for a bottle, or he cries because he is need of a diaper change, he catches my attention. Look what Jeremiah 33:3 tells us what will happen if we cry out to God; “Cry out to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” If you are in need of some fatherly guidance, there is no one better to turn to then our heavenly father.

Elijah Colon

                                                                                 Noel Colon