“Mother’s Day is about heartstrings. Father’s Day is about hardware and last-minute shopping. Father’s Day is less revered: not planned as far ahead, less time is spent together as a family and gifts are chintzier. Mother’s Day—150 million cards sold. Father’s Day, a Hallmark afterthought, sees less than 95 million. While Mother’s Day racks 150 million phone calls, Father’s Day has 140 million but holds the title for most calls placed collect.

It does not help with the restrictions placed in the current Covid-19 situation, that Father’s Day here in Singapore has to order in instead of dining out on Father’s Day.

Yet we thank God for fathers who play an important role in the family. We thank God for the father who tirelessly and laboriously works in order to provide for his family, protect and shield them from harm and danger. We remember the father who chauffeurs his children to and from classes. He even reaches out to those in need, and is kind and patient. We thank God for the father who gives sacrificially to ensure that his child’s needs are met, be they physical, emotional, or spiritual needs.

God has placed a heavy responsibility in the father to bring up his children in godly fear. Paul exhorts fathers to bring up the children in the training and instruction of the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4).

The father is not to frustrate his children. Do not put unreasonable demands or burdens on your child. Instead, the father is exhorted to train and instruct his child to obey the commands and statutes that God requires of his child in Proverbs 22:6, “Start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Fathers, teach your child what God demands and expects of His child.  Share the gospel with your child at an early age so that he may come to a saving knowledge of our Almighty God.

Discipline your child when he disobeys or does things which are wrong: Again, in Proverbs 13:24, it says “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”

We are reminded of the godly father who had wayward children. Examples are Eli and Aaron. Eli’s sons did terrible things which were wrong in God’s sight.

Eli knew the evil that his sons did. He failed, however, to chastise or discipline his children. In the end, God had to take away his two sons in 1 Sam 3:12-14, “For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, the guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.

Let us take heed lest our children grow wayward. To you who are fathers, may you take on this role as a trainer and instructor of God’s Word to teach His word seriously and raise up good and God-fearing Christians.

Let us, as children, encourage our father and celebrate Father’s Day by loving, showing our appreciation to them and letting them know what an important role he has played in your life.

To all fathers, may you take this day to treasure your children. Let us as fathers feel proud of the title of “Dad.” May God grant fathers wisdom, grace, and strength in their sacred duty to provide for the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of their children.

To all the fathers—Happy Father’s Day!