The Everlasting Father

Fathers – they are seemingly never satisfied, and seldom around. So what good are they? Well…

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.
• 90% of all homeless and run away children are from fatherless homes.
• 85 % of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes
• 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger, 71% of high school dropouts and 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes - as do 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions.

These statistics mean that kids without dads are:

• 5 times more likely to commit suicide,
• 32 times more likely to run away,
• 20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders,
• 14 times more likely to commit rape, 9 times more like to drop out of school, 10 times more like to abuse drugs, 9 times more likely to end up in a state-operated institution, and
• 20 times more likely to end up in prison.
(Stats come from Rick Johnson’s book “The Power of a Man,” page 173, individual sources sited on that page).

Jesus is called “The Everlasting Father.” The stats show us that we need a father. We need a father who can accept us, who is satisfied - and simply there. Ps. 103 is a short psalm that illustrates what kind of father Jesus is. He is called:

• Compassionate
• Merciful
• Slow to get angry
• Filled with unfailing love
• He doesn’t deal harshly with us, as we deserve
• His love for those who fear him is as high as the heavens over the earth
• He forgives us and removes all our sins
• Tender, knowing how weak we are
• His love remains forever
• His salvation extends to the grandchildren of those who obey his commands.

That’s Jesus, our Everlasting Father. Merry Christmas.

Dan