Father Memories and Your Heavenly Father

He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him.

─ Psalm 103:13 TLB

The saying, “Like father like son” is a truism. The son may pattern himself after his father’s example, or he may rebel against whatever his dad stood for, deliberately striving to be different from him. Either way, the son is living under his father’s influence, as his father memories will plainly indicate.

Your father stamped his seal on your life, both genetically and psychologically. Father memories can’t be shaken off, grown out of or painted over—but they can be explored, comprehended and incorporated internally in ways that lead to lasting change.

Psalm 103:13 says God is like a father to us. Some struggle with this because their image of a father was not that of a tender and sympathetic father who loved unconditionally.

As children we may not have had much choice about our place in the family and in the world, but because the roles we chose were ones we assigned ourselves that means that as adults we can choose healthier roles and self-identities. We can be the people God intended. We can rewrite the old script and assume a positive role.

And for our children, we can be the father (or mother) we wished we had – a parent with the character and nature that displays the goodness of our Heavenly Father.

Today’s One Thing

Think about your childhood family atmosphere. Consider how your father contributed to the home environment in which you grew up. Ask God to show you how your father memories help you become all He created you to be.

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