The Joyful Task--A Father's Day Reflection

                                                                    

                                                           The Joyful Task

Fathers, on Father’s Day, can reflect on the joyful tasks of fatherhood. Deuteronomy 33:12 describes one such task in the blessing of Benjamin. 

“About Benjamin he said: ‘Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.’”

Scholars tell us that ‘resting between his shoulders’ refers to the mountainous terrain that was assigned to Benjamin when the promised land was divided among the tribes. Try instead to make it a literal picture of a beloved child riding on dad’s shoulders in order to see a wonderful sight. Like a father and child watching a parade or sporting event when they are back in the crowd and all the child can see is the crowd. Then dad hoists the child to his shoulders and all of a sudden, the little one can see why everyone is excited.

This joyful task, helping a child to see the wonder of God, is the task of the loving father of faith. One of my most cherished childhood memories is almost 70 years old. I must have been about 7, because I could read. For some reason I accompanied my father to a communion service. This was unusual, at that time the communion service was separate from the regular service and only communicant members were allowed to attend. We were sitting in the choir loft, so it could be that dad was going to play during the distribution so the organist could go to communion. Whatever the reason, I was hearing an entirely new liturgy and dad was helping me to read along. It was the first time ever that I both heard and read the Nicene Creed. The words “God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God” struck me as my father’s finger guided my eye. 

My recollection stops there. I don’t remember the words again until we moved to St. Louis and our new church did not segregate communicants from non-communicants. Then I heard those words again. Now my father was the regular organist and the choir director too. Dad was teaching the choir a new hymn, ‘Isaiah, Mighty Seer, In Days of Old.’ Martin Luther’s hymn tells the story of Isaiah’s vision (Isaiah 6:1-4) and dad taught the words first, stressing the meaning, before he introduced the tune. He wanted us to see and experience the glory and majesty of God. He was lifting us up so we could better see God.

This Father’s Day, remember and give thanks to God for those who lifted you up so you could better see our loving God.

Thank you to Natalie Hartwig 

who is a Journeys of Faith blog contributor.