Tue. Dec 24th, 2024

In the beginning God created the first man who later became the first dad – Adam. Unique, one of a kind, so special compared to everything God has created. He’s so smart, so wise and intelligent, for God made him that way – he named all the animals that God has created and he didn’t have any memory gap. Adam was responsible and can be trusted, as all the dads must be. God made him administrator of the whole earth, in charge of every created thing, including plants, animals, mountains, valleys, rivers and seas. Though he had the whole wide world to oversee God gave him a place to start – a beautiful garden called Eden – Adam’s workplace and residential address.

All is well with Adam, he’s happy, busy, contented but God saw something’s lacking. In all of God’s creation, how vast they may be, how wonderful and majestic, not one is suitable for him as a partner, a helpmate. Adam was alone while all other creatures have their pairs. Then the good Lord said, “It is not good for a man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” Bingo! God’s heart is not only for Adam to cultivate the whole earth, to take good care of his creation, all of them. But God wants Adam from the very start to be a husband and a dad! Being a dad is a calling, God’s gift and design, a wonderful opportunity coupled with great responsibility.

Fatherhood is in the heart of God for He is a Father Himself. God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and when he woke up, there she was – the most beautiful, gorgeous creature he ever saw in all of God’s creation. Then God gave Eve to him and said, “Go and multiply and fill the earth,” and the result we’re all here now. On that day, Adam officially became the first husband and eventually the first dad, where all our dads came from, including us – if you’re a dad like me.

God, Adam, your grandpa and mine, your dad and my dad, you as a dad and me as a dad, and to all the dads in the world, we can proudly say that being a father is one of life’s great privilege and honor. Nothing can compare to see our sons and daughters growing up and becoming the persons they were meant to be. Though it’s not always easy to be a dad; there are challenges, pressures, demands, responsibilities, testings, trials and even temptations! But it’s all worth it. Nothing can substitute to that wonderful feeling when you hear someone calls you, whispers to you, mentioning not your first name nor nickname but calling you “Dad”.

Now let’s go back to our first Dad. Do you really know Him? Because if you know Him you can emulate Him and reflect Him to your children and to others as well. He has the best character that a dad could have. He set an example for us and wants us to be like Him. If all the dads of the world are like Him, there would be no broken homes, abused children and hurting wives. If all the dads are like the first Dad, we will have more happy homes, happy families and secured children and moms; and a better world to live in.

Anyway, it’s not yet too late. As we celebrate Father’s Day today, though most of the fathers we know are not as we want and desire them to be, we still have a Father, the first Dad ever. I’m not  referring to Adam, no not him, but to God, our heavenly Father. He loves us all unconditionally and eternally regardless of who we are and what we’ve done. In reality, He is the first Dad with a capital letter “D” and Adam was the first dad of all mankind beginning with his sons Cain and Abel.

To all the Dads out there, happy Fathers Day! To all the children, be happy you have a daddy. If you don’t have now, just look up and call God your Dad. He’s so much willing to receive you as His child. And to all the wives and moms, thank God you have your husbands, others are still praying and waiting for their respective Adams. God bless us all. Be happy everyday! I just want to inspire you today.

By Rommel Atanque

Rommel Santiago Atanque is an entrepreneur by profession and a Pastor/Missionary by calling and passion. He loves to inspire his readers and let them realize that in every trial there is a purpose; in every test a testimony; and with the right perspective in life, one can still be happy every single day! He also authored the Live a Happy Life Books. A series of humorous books that make a lot of sense. He also shares the Gospel in today's context and lets God's Word bring joy and laughter to his hearers. He wants them to know that listening to sermons is not boring much less an antidote for sleeplessness. Married for 22 years to Jeralyn Ortiz Palabrica-Atanque with two teenagers Roj Gabriel 18, and Lyl Mikael 16. They had been missionaries in Cambodia for 7 years and are currently based in Iloilo City, Philippines, pastoring Connect Church.