In truth, Fatherhood is no ordinary thing. Throughout history, fathers have been a source of strength, guidance, protection, and love for their children. With each generation, the role of father has evolved to suit the ever growing complexities of modern life. Today, fathers are called to be coaches, teachers, financial consultants, spiritual advisors, marriage counselors, and “handymen.”

From the moment of our conception, our fathers have a profound influence on our lives. They offer their love selflessly and unconditionally through the countless things they do for us. Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about fathers is their seemingly immense breadth of knowledge and never-ending willingness to share their time with us.

With all of the amazing things our fathers do for us, it is easy to understand why we often relate to God as “Our Father.” As Christians, we understand that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and eternal. Yet, we can obtain a deeper understanding of His unending love by relating it to the love of our earthly fathers. Just as we have an intimate and loving relationship with our fathers, we are eager to understand and embrace God in that same way.

The Fatherhood of God is woven throughout the history of Judeo-Christian faith. There are countless references to God as father throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals the fatherhood of God through His personal relationship with God as His father.

This intimate relationship is perhaps most vivid in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prepares to be arrested and put to death. Jesus cries out, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from me!”(Mark 14:36).

This extraordinary passage reveals not only a true sense of Jesus’ mortality, but it also gives a sense of His truly intimate relationship with God. Jesus even addresses God as “Abba” which is translated as “Daddy.” Much like the way we rely on our mortal fathers for strength when we are not strong enough, Jesus cries out for His Father’s help when He is in despair.

Throughout scripture, Jesus not only reveals His personal relationship with God, but He also invites us to share in God’s fatherhood and become God’s children. In Luke 11:2, Jesus even teaches us to address God in prayer, “And He said to them, ‘When you pray say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.” In calling God our Father, Jesus reminds us we are created individually in God’s image and that His love for us is in many ways similar to that of our own fathers.

Jesus wanted us to understand that God the Father possesses many attributes of our earthly fathers such as love, protection, mercy, wisdom, and compassion. Accepting God as our divine father allows us to embrace a more personal and loving relationship with Him.

The selfless and unconditional love of our fathers forms the foundation for our understanding of God’s love for us. For nearly 2,000 years, inspired by our relationships with our own fathers, Christians have developed a better understanding of our relationship with God. Thus, in addition to the countless things our fathers do for us, they are called to become something even more extraordinary– messengers of God’s love.