FATHERS AND FATHERHOOD

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Hi all,

The Lord blessed me with an extraordinary man as a father. He was not easy to get to know. He tended to be a thinker and was well read. I distinctly remember seeing the complete works of Charles Dickens in his father’s home. His father (my grandfather) was an extraordinary reader. He even read books walking too and from work.

My grandfather was something of a pianist. In the days between the wars, going to the pub was more or less the only form of entertainment available in North East England. He would walk into a pub and sit down at the piano; a prerequisite in those days. In no time there would be several “pints” lined up on the piano for Ernie the pianist. He would play for a couple of hours and then get up, walk out and walk home. I’m not sure if he would read then?

My father, another Ernie, was like my grandfather in many ways. He didn’t learn to play the piano, but he was very much like his father. Both of them were better at listening than at talking. So they were quite content to listen to the banter, take it all in and quietly go about the business of living life.

Dad had a touch for working on large turbo-alternators. As a fitter, he was able to line up the large turbine spindles with remarkable skill and accuracy. This skill put him into a reserved occupation during WWII. He spent most of the time visiting power stations and other plant that had similar equipment. Somehow he managed to get it going again in spite of Hermann Goering’s bombers doing their level best to destroy UK. He met my mother in 1938. They married in 1940, on the day after her 21^st birthday. (So her father couldn’t say no.) She was his first and only girlfriend. I was born in 1942 and was given the name – would you believe Ernie? True enough. Mom insisted they call me by my second name (James) Jim for short.

In some respects, his skill influenced our relationship. He was constantly being called away to fix things - turbines. Even when we came to South Africa he travelled around installing, checking and repairing similar equipment. So we were never really able to get close. In any case, he was my Dad. He was seldom wrong about anything. He only ever commented about topics he was familiar with. Looking back now, I think he overawed me and we were both content with that.

Was he a good role model for me? How would I know? He was the only father I had. I thought the world of him. It never occurred to me that he might not be right. Besides, he behaved much like his father. That’s the way it was back in the 1950’s for me and the 1930’s for him. No doubt it would have been much the same as my grandfather was treated at the beginning of the 20^th century! Before that? Who can say.

Was I a good father? In the light of God’s word I must say no. I treated my children much the same way as I’d been treated. It was the same way for each generation! All of it was terribly normal – whatever normal means.

Those days are now about 60 years ago! Knowing what I know now, I’m sure things would have been much different. But that’s the problem. Hindsight is always 20/20 vision.

Today’s meditation is all about fatherhood.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland.

Fathers and Fatherhood

Take a little walk around Jerusalem today, It won’t be very long before you hear a young boy say, “Abba” meaning father. The little boy will run, And jump into his father’s arms. Why not? He is his son! It’s really quite delightful. It’s often on the go; And from a Christian standpoint, it’s wonderful to know, That fathers and their little boys, relate in such a way, That people in the Western world so seldom see today. We’re missing out on something. The father - son lifestyle, It’s something that we aught to know. It makes Our Father smile. But what about the fathers, that you and I have known? Have they truly acted the way the Bible’s shown? For what we have experienced, is what we’ll likely be. That is our role model, most unfortunately. Some of it was very good; some of it was not; And some of it was something far better off forgot! Some fathers are fantastic. They seem to get it right. They do just what the Bible says, by day as well as night. They clearly love their children the way a father should. So when it comes to fathering, we say that they are “good”! Some men are a “disaster”, if you’ll forgive the phrase. These men abuse their children in many different ways. Some of it is physical. They leave their children sore. Others psychological, which damages far more, Than giving a few bruises. They leave their children scarred, Some should be arrested and from all children barred. The problem which arises is, these children never trust Any sort of father, they treat them with disgust. And so because of what they’ve seen, they think that every Dad, Is better off avoided, or they’ll be driven mad. So when it comes to Father God, they think that also He, Will be as bad as what they knew back in their history. But this is a perception and never is the truth. We can’t compare God’s Fatherhood with knowledge from our youth. He’s infinitely better than anything we’ve known. We cannot rate His fatherhood – not even with our own. I may be a “good father”. But only God is good! The very best that I can be, it can’t be what it should. My fatherhood is limited to hours in the day. And when I’m busy sleeping, there isn’t any way, That I can be a father. As long as I’m asleep, What sort of standard can I set? I cannot ever keep, The standards He has set out. I also have my moods; And cannot feed my children on supernatural food. There is a gulf between us. I do the best I can. But I am not Christ Jesus. I’m only just a man. Jim Strickland – Written Wednesday 25th January 2012