While Father’s Day is not a uniquely Christian holiday, it provides a wonderful opportunity for us to focus on our heavenly Father’s love for us. God speaks in several places in His Word about the privileges we have in being adopted children of God (John 1:12-13, Romans 8:15-17, and Ephesians 1:5). In addition to those that specifically mention adoption, we of course add John 3:16, that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the greatest gift our heavenly Father has given to us, a gift for which we will be eternally grateful, and because of which we will want to show our eternal gratitude by loving worship and obedience.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father, Which Art in Heaven,” He was introducing them to a new dimension of a personal relationship with God. Jews in the Old Testament knew God as the Father of the nation of Israel, but were not accustomed to speaking of Him as the Father of individuals. Jesus was able to do so, of course, as the eternal Son of God. But He taught us to address His Father as OUR Father! How amazing!
How is it that we dare call God our Father? It’s only because He calls us His children. And who can confidently enjoy that blessed relationship? Only those who are born again. This is not a status that can be legitimately claimed by everyone. After all, Jesus called unbelievers in His day children of their father, the Devil (John 8:44). We are not children of God by virtue of creation, but only by virtue of the new creation. Liberal theology loves to speak of the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man (as in Henry Van Dyke’s hymn, Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee). But His children are those who have received Jesus and trust Him alone for salvation.
God is Father to those who know Him through His Son. This is intimately connected to the incarnation. As C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” One of the most complete definitions of the adoption that we enjoy is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter XII.
All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which we are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for and chastened by Him as by a Father; yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption; and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.
We have several fine hymns that speak of this relationship. There are not just texts about the Father’s work in creation (This Is My Father’s World) and in providence (Father, I Know That All My Life Is Portioned Out for Me). Most wonderfully, we have hymns that remind us of our status as His adopted children because He is truly the Father who has “birthed” us in our regeneration. Three of those are A Child of the King, Blessed Are the Sons of God, and Children of the Heavenly Father.
A new favorite based on this theme, and marvelously appropriate for Father’s Day, is Stuart Townend’s widely acclaimed and increasingly popular How Deep the Father’s Love for Us. He is one of today’s leading worship songwriters. He has collaborated with Irish hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty in such songs as In Christ Alone and The Power of the Cross. These are sung in churches around the world. The skill and depth of Townend’s lyric writing has drawn some to compare his contribution to hymnody to that of Watts and Wesley.
Aside from writing, Stuart travels around the UK and abroad, leading worship at events and performing concerts on his own or with his band. An accomplished musician, arranger and producer, he also has years of experience in teaching and training musicians who serve in local church worship. To date he has recorded ten solo albums. Stuart and his wife Caroline have three grown children, and they live in Brighton, UK.
He is the youngest of four children born to Rev. John Townend, a Church of England vicar in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire who served that parish from 1974 until his tragic death in a car accident in 1984. That fact makes this song even more meaningful to Stuart, as a reminder of the love of his heavenly Father. Stuart started learning to play the piano at the age of 7. He reports that when he was 13 he put his trust in Christ. He started writing songs at the age of 22.
In stanza 1, we stand amazed at the greatness of the Father’s love, measured not only by what He gave (“His only Son”), but also by the ones for He made this gift (“a wretch”). And what have we become as a result? “His treasure.” The cross is before us, as “the Father turns His face away” which Jesus bears our guilt and suffers our punishment.
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 turns His face away.
As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory.
In stanza 2, we look more directly at the cross, and look not only with our eyes, but now with our heart. What we see causes us to shudder and grimace in horror as we recognize our own “mocking voice” calling “out among the scoffers.” Since “it was my sin that held Him there,” it is legitimate to imagine my mocking voice there. But how wonderful that as He died there, He could pronounce that He had “finished” the work to redeem us.
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.
In stanza 3, we step back to reflect on how this should affect us. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, there is nothing in which we dare boast, except the cross of Christ. And again we ask ourselves, why would He do this for someone like me? While we will never be able to answer that question, we will rejoice “with all my heart” that “His wounds have paid my ransom,” and I have been set free!
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.