PERSPECTIVE: ‘My Dad is better’

A new television show called “My Dad Is Better than Your Dad” has captured my attention. Four teams made up of a dad and his young son or daughter compete with the goal of determining which dad is stronger, faster, smarter and braver than the others. I watched the first program and actually found it to be a cute show.

Later, while spending some windshield time, I began ruminating on the idea of the show. As we preachers are prone to do, I pondered it in my head, and before I had traveled very many miles, I was on shouting ground. Why? I was overwhelmed with the reality that I am a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords. My heavenly Dad really is better than any other dad.

We can easily say our heavenly Dad is stronger than all, and we are held in the palm of His hand. He is the Lord God the Almighty. That is why Jesus could say, “My Father . . . is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” What security! The minute we are born into the family of God, our Father picks us up in His hand, and nothing can separate us from Him. He can whip every enemy with one arm tied behind His back. We have an awesome Father. I think the word for Him is omnipotent.

He is faster than all. During this life, He stands ready to move to save us. He is always on time and never late. In a split second, He takes us from being lost in our sin to saved by His grace. He has promised that the day will come when, in the twinkling of an eye (now that is fast!), He will transform our old tired body through the resurrection into an immortal body.

The theologians describe Him as omniscient. That means He knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him. He is the infinite Lord Who has all knowledge, wisdom and understanding. We are so fortunate to be His children because we can always come to our Dad with the assurance that no question can stump Him. We are safe to declare that our Dad is smarter than all the rest.

The last word is brave. I am not sure it fits. Does our heavenly Dad exhibit bravery? I do not know if it is the right word, but I do know this. He is willing to face Satan and his demons without fear or failure. He has no fear because He has already defeated Satan and his minions at the Cross of Jesus. Victory is His. He has not and will not know defeat. And because that is true, neither will I. Victory is ours, children of God.

As I watched the show, I was struck by the way the children bragged on their dads and taunted the others by declaring their dad to be the best. Each child expressed a hope and a wish that their dad really was better. Only one of them was accurate. The other dads lost.

You and I have it simple. Our Dad is the eternal winner. He is the Lord God the Almighty. There is none like Him in Heaven or Earth. He is the great I AM. We have nothing to fear. We only need to run to Him, crawl up in His lap and feel His everlasting arms around us. In the end we can shout to the world without fear of contradiction, “MY DAD IS BETTER THAN YOUR DAD!!!”