This question was a famous line in a movie a few years ago. The question had to do with a high school football team giving their allegiance to their coach. No doubt the team’s allegiance to their coach was important, but a more serious answer must be given to such a question today. We live in a world that sometimes appears to be fatherless, and a good pattern for true fathers seems to be lacking.
Once while in Africa I was taken to an orphanage where small children were kept. They had many babies in the orphanage, but I was particularly drawn to one little boy who looked to be about six to eight months old. I asked the lady in charge to tell me the story of this baby. She said, “Well, we don’t know much, we found him sitting all alone in a big open field crying. We know his mother was probably not able to care for him so she left him in the field to die or to be eaten by a wild animal.” Then she said, “We also know he has aids, but we don’t know anything else about him.” He was a cute little guy so I picked him up and loved on him for a while, prayed for him and left and never saw him again. Outside of Christ, if this baby lives he will never be able to answer the question of “Who is your Daddy?”
When a child is rejected by its parents there seems to be a long range effect on the child. Even though many children are adopted into caring homes, they still seem to have a void that follows them into adulthood. The reason for this void is because there are certain things a child gets from their biological parents that they cannot get from any one else. In spite of all the love they may receive from others…filling up the void is much more difficult. True nurturing in most cases seems to come from the child’s birth mother. Their character and confidence in most cases seems to come from their birth father.
As wonderful as it is to have loving adoptive parents who sincerely care for the unwanted…there is still something lacking that can only be found in a relationship with God. Without that personal relationship with God it is also hard for them to answer the question of “Who is your Daddy?”
The church of today seems to be filled with spiritual orphans. Many have natural parents, but they still feel fatherless. If the question was asked “Who is your Daddy” many would have to say I don’t know? Perhaps this is why Paul said, “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
I was one of those who did not have a father. However, I was one of those fortunate ones who had many great men in my life. I learned life from these men because I was a learner and not necessarily because they were trying to father or mentor me. I am extremely thankful for the father types God put in my life, and I believe each of them were sent from God for my benefit.
I also believe there is a fathers’ anointing as there are other anointings. I believe the Lord has given me that anointing in the Body of Christ because I father many people today. Among the many things I have done in the ministry over the last fifty years, none is more important to me than my father role.
My heart was broken as I looked into the face of the little African baby boy who was left in the open field for animal food. My heart is still broken today when I look into the faces of men and women who also seem to be left in the open fields of the world for Satan to devour. If someone should ask “Who is your Daddy,” I will be happy to say “I am.”
Father,
I count it all joy to be called a spiritual father in the kingdom of God. I intend to fulfill that calling as well as to pray for Malachi 4:5-6 to be fulfilled. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
Amen.
“For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 4:15 KJV)
Apostle John Dean Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved
Alliance International Ministries