The familiar song says “This is my Father’s world”. Much deeper and thought provoking words follow that opening line. The power of that one first statement often gets missed by many. It immediately brings memories of the immense presence of the planet we call home. The varieties of environment, vastness of oceans, clarity of night skies, and the populations of peoples, even creatures and life unknown to us are a part of it.
The magnificence of lightning storms, early morning dawns, waning sunsets and foggy breaths on frosty mornings all belong to Him. It is all His and we are given these few moments to enjoy it. We are allowed the freedom to embrace His grace and mercy by walking in His garden.
Each soul on the world, which is His, is allowed to walk with Him, ignore Him, deny Him, or even to curse Him. Still it is His world. He does not intervene to force us to participate in ways we do not wish to. We can and often do, pluck up His plants by the roots, destroy His creatures and strike terror in the hearts of those who walk with us in our short journey. We are also able to imitate His art, admire His expressions of love and even join in the process of bringing new life into His world. He makes some of us mothers and fathers. He guides our thoughts and gives us opportunity to emulate His creative joy. In a single New York nanosecond He could end it all. It has always been in His power to do so.
In saying “my Father’s” we are singing unto the one who created it all. Since it is not in your power to duplicate what He has done, we must assume there is one greater than us. Not all will believe He is. Not all will receive His love with joy. Not all will choose to follow Him as they experience more of the world He has given. He does not stop being who He is. Those people simply choose an imitation and substitute stepfather. He does not cease to be who He is. They choose to ignore truth and reality to pretend they are more than they are and that He is less than He is. “My Father” means much, much, more than a distant ethereal wisp of cosmic vapor. It means a personal touchable warm loving presence to gather the hurt in compassionate embrace when life would seem too harsh to continue. “My Father” means I am His and He is mine. He has chosen me from before the foundation of this world to love me and fellowship with me and bestow upon me all of His treasure and joys.
It is, as it says, “His world”. He designed it by divine thought. He created it by His spoken word. He continues it by His constant care and consistency. He will enjoy it according to the good pleasure of His will while enduring the ravages of rebellious sin from those whom He loves. His world has land, water, sunlight and breathable air. He created all to dwell in harmony, bringing Him great glory as they do. He is the great provider, the perfect judge and the purest example of what and who we ought to be. He sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for everyone’s sin. We as fathers have the blessed opportunity to do the same for our children. Our plans and dreams in life are often laid aside so our children may have more of His gifts and see Him better. We endeavor to provide food and shelter and security as He does for even the Sparrows.
When it rains, plants grow. When the sun shines, plants grow. When the cycle of life is complete for them, it begins anew in the bareness of winters freeze. Old life is removed and new life is given. It is even so with our own. Our fathers die as their fathers did and as we one day will. Our son and daughters are the new seed springing forth with vitality and new birth in the waning days of our own. Daughter become mothers and son become fathers. Lambs grow to rams and cubs into lions. All in His world. All by His hand. Each in the land of His choosing to bring glory and honor and praise to the one who is worthy of all praise.
Once outside of the womb, we open our eyes to behold the beauty He has made. We choose in the cognition of our own being to receive with great blessing, the joys set before us or we reject it by the poison of our own preference. We grow, being influenced by Him and the fathers He has granted us. Some grow to honor Him, others to dishonor Him. Yet He cannot be other than He is. He knows the sorrow of sin, the high cost of hatred, the expense of our egotistically abusing His gifts. Yet He is my Father and this is His world. To think otherwise is to cease to think as you were designed to be and to steal from Him that which is His. There is no fitting analogy which shows how grotesquely our image of Him is perverted and tarnished when we seek to change the words of the song to declare we are the maker or owner of it. This is not my world; for there would be no hope, no future, no redemption if I were its maker.
“This is my Father’s world. And to my listening ear, all nature sings and around us rings the music of the spheres.” His world, His universe, His creation, His everything; and I am His. My desire is to please Him, emulate Him, example Him and serve Him. “This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought; Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.” So must our view of Him be. That He desires for us to know Him as Father and be to our own children a father after His likeness. “In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere.” He is speaking to you, even now.
We are able, on a day set aside by men to honor their fathers, to accept His love and receive all the blessings He intends for His children to enjoy. Many do this for the great example they have been given in their earthly fathers. Or it is possible for us to reject His truth, His provision, His love, even His sacrifice to follow the lie told long ago that you may be your own father. Some do this by following the tragic example they have been given in their earthly fathers. Still it is remarkable to realize that the only reason it is our choice is because it is His world and we are His children. No other part of His creation has such a choice. This is my Father’s world. Have a Happy Father’s Day.