Cheryl and I have three daughters. All three of them have been married now for quite some time. I was being nostalgic and thinking about their weddings. Each time I was in the fortunate and somewhat unique position of being both the father of the bride and the officiating minister. There was a point in all three of those services where I got choked up, but God enabled me to recover and make it through the rest of the service each time.

I love my family deeply, and the emotions I display reflect that love. I have rejoiced with them, laughed with them and shed tears with them. Through it all I am aware of overwhelming blessing God has shown to our family in our lives together.

The love that I feel for my children, deep though it may be, is but a poor reflection of the love that our heavenly Father has for all those He created. There is a song by a man named Stuart Townend entitled How Deep the Father’s Love for Us that does a good job of describing that love

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom

I thank God that He has allowed me to be a father. I thank my Father in heaven even more for the love He has shown to me.