A Father's Heart

How important is the word "Father" in the Bible? It's a word not used to refer to God until the New Testament and when it finally is, it refers to the Father who sent His Son to die for us. Then Jesus uses it repeatedly when referring to God and even urges his disciples to pray to God as their Father in the Lord's Prayer.
I say all this to show just important the word "Father" is in the Bible and how important that men imitate their Father by learning to be good fathers, not only to their children, but to younger men in their church. It is one of the qualities I know I need to be already preparing for as I strive to grow into a man.
I find it interesting what Mark Driscoll writes on why he loves John Piper:

"He has a father’s heart. Unlike so many older men who are threatened by, competitive with, or critical of young men, I have repeatedly seen Dr. Piper have a father’s heart to encourage, exhort, and empower young men. The few times we’ve been able to sit down together have been incredibly transforming."

I not only see the father's heart in John Piper but I see the lacking Mark talks of in so many older men. As a young man (feeling like a boy still in many ways) I have been frustrated by the lack of older men with a father's heart to encourage young men in striving to put on spiritual manhood. I look around both inside my church and outside my church and see young men who are in desperate need of humble men who are willing to walk alongside them and help them grow. There are very few passionate fathers walking around who are looking to encourage, exhort, and empower young men. My earthly father has been wonderful and I don't know where I would be without his presence in my life but now that I am out of the house and living in a different city, my interaction with him is limited. I have a longing to be fathered. I want to be challenged by an older man to grow and take risks for God's glory! I have taken this longing to my heavenly Father and found him waiting there to take me in his arms and then walk through tough situations with me. He truly has been the best Father ever! He challenges me, loves me deeply, and calls me to takes risks for his glory (although He tries to assure me they aren't risks when He is involved!).

So in conclusion, I want to make sure I am continually bringing my longing to be fathered to God. I also want to make sure, in the midst of any frustation I may experience, that I never stop seeking encouragement and exhortation from older men in my life. God created us to be in relationship with each other and so God being a Father does not excuse men of being delinquent fathers to the younger men around them. The father's heart of John Piper points Mark Driscoll to the glory of the true Father. People see the glory of God when the role of fatherhood is lived out in imitation of God! It is not excusable then that we neglect this display of God's glory. We bring glory to God first by crying out to Him humbly as our Father and then by living out fatherhood and being strong and passionate fathers to those younger men in our lives. And so I want to learn to be a father, not only for any children I may have one day, but for the younger men out there who need someone to encourage them, exhort them, and continually point them to the perfect Father who will grow them and lead them ultimately to heaven. What a beautiful and inspiring thing when men display God's glory in this way!

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Galatians 4:4-7