Something's Bugging Me

                                                         Something’s Bugging Me

Theology in the Trenches

By Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

The data was in and it must have been accurate because the man on the radio said so. It wasn’t just any man, but it was someone I listen to on a regular basis and he said this. “A longitudinal study over 50 years shows that parents are the single most important factor as to whether or not children will grow up to walk in their faith. Much more important is the parental impact than that of media and even culture.” Dr. Greg Popcak.

He went on to link it to one more powerful thread attached. The thread it was linked to was households where fathers were living their faith. This exponentially improved the chances of the child living out their faith.

This last factor factored in is what was bugging me. It wasn’t the first part where parents had an influence on the child’s faith more so than the media or the culture. It was when the study linked the father’s faith that bugged me. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe this information because I do. What bugged me are the statistics today where fathers are either not present because they have moved out, or they have never been present or emotionally available…or have chosen not to live their faith and thus, are not present to help grow the spiritual needs of their children.

Why was this bugging me? It bugged me because I felt a loss of hope for those children who have no say in this. I felt a loss of hope for a child who has little hope of success due to a parent missing spiritually. So how can we boost the outcome for these kiddos who need that father figure? Well, I figured it out.

If He truly is who He says He is, then He’s OUR FATHER and even when the earthly fathers mess up this side of the veil, our heavenly Father is there, has always been there, and will always be there so we need not fear when we lean into the Father of Fathers of us all. He is a Father who does not lie and He cannot go against what His Word says.

It says, “I will not leave you orphaned” (John 14:18). “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:8). “You are mine.” (Isa. 43:1). “I have adopted you as sons and daughters” (Eph. 1:5). His promises never fail because they are true. In fact, He died for us. He laid down His very life for us and for the fatherless so they would never be without a Father. That’s the truth so “we need not fear” (Isa. 41:10).

We need not fear statistics. We need not boast in our pedigree because as sons and daughters of His, we are equal and He plays no favorites. In fact, He is ever present and especially in times of trouble. That’s what it says in Psalm 46:1. We need only rely on Truth and not the father of lies who tells us we are not worthy. The Truth is—we are worthy because He is worthy.

Romans 8:31 reminds, “If He is for us who can be against us?” The longitudinal study is worthy of note—but it only goes back 50 years. His Word goes back 2000 and in Him our hope.  Amen.