A couple of weeks ago, Diana, Emmett, and I went to a Christmas tree lighting at a park. It was a big event featuring food trucks, live music, and big crowds. As we crossed a grassy area to see a giant Frosty The Snowman blowup balloon, a man jogged past me, shouting, "Elijah! Elijah!"
A few minutes later, the music stopped. The emcee on the outdoor stage made an announcement: a boy named Elijah was missing.
My heart went into my throat. I couldn't imagine the fear of losing a child at an event that is so crowded.
The emcee told Elijah to come up to the stage where his dad was waiting. The man I had seen earlier was now standing on the stage. He remained calm yet had a concerned look on his face. He silently scanned the crowd, searching for his boy.
In what seemed like an eternity later (but was only a few moments), Elijah ran to the stage and was united with his dad. The crowd cheered with relief.
As I think back on that story, I'm reminded of one of the names Isaiah gave to the coming Messiah:
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies
will make this happen! (9:6-7)
Everlasting Father might be my favorite name on Isaiah's list. There is something so comforting about it. But it can also be a little confusing to think of Jesus as our Father. After all, he's the Son!
Christians believe in one God. But we also believe this God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are distinct, yet are one. (And if that is hard for you to wrap your mind around, it's okay! There is a mystery to it, a paradox.)
But if Jesus is distinctly the Son, why does Isaiah's prophesy call him Everlasting Father?
As we explored in week one of this series, these four titles aren't meant to be "proper" names. They are descriptors of what this coming Savior will be like. And they would have meant something to Isaiah's original audience.
Last week, we saw how the name Mighty God brought hope to an oppressed people. In the same way, Everlasting Father brought comfort to those who were vulnerable.
In that ancient culture, being fatherless meant you lacked basic protection. It doesn't seem right, but that's how it was. In fact, God knew it wasn't right. That's why he created laws in the Old Testament to protect those who were fatherless. If a man died and left behind a family, a close relative would marry the widow and bring her and the children under his care. (We see a beautiful example of this in the book of Ruth.)
The same God who created this compassionate law was now coming into the world. Jesus reflects the Father's compassion for the lonely, the vulnerable, and the forgotten.
The word father brings up different emotions in different people. Some have wonderful feelings about their fathers, and it's easy to relate to Jesus in this way. But for others, not so much. At best, the relationship with their dad was complicated. And at worst, their dad was not around or even abusive. My heart breaks for anyone who has experienced that. It makes sense why father is the last word someone might want to use to describe Jesus.
This month, I've been reading a devotional called Heaven and Nature Sing: 25 Advent Reflections to Bring Joy to the World by Hannah Anderson. The author brings up a lot of eye-opening things I hadn't considered about the Christmas story.
In one reflection, she ponders what fatherhood teaches us about faithfulness:
[W]hen a woman conceives and gives birth, there is little question about who the mother is. But biology being what it is, a father must declare himself. A man must publicly take responsibility for a child and, in so doing, commit to love and provide for this new life. ... We call [God] Father because that is the closest language we have to describe what he has done by publicly taking responsibility for us, loving us, protecting us, and granting us a share in the divine inheritance. Unlike those who leave when they realize what it will cost them, our Father gives and gives and gives.
These words describe what Jesus, as Everlasting Father, did for us. If the word father carries negative connotations for you, I pray Jesus will redeem it. He is the one who never abandons us. He doesn't throw stones but shields us from them.
Jesus was not inconvenienced by us. He was not ashamed to associate with messy, broken people. He patiently showed us how to live. He taught us what it means to live in God's Kingdom as beloved children. He loved us unselfishly. And in the end, he endured tremendous suffering on the cross so that our sin would no longer have power over us.
Jesus' protection and care never ends. His love is everlasting. Not even death can sever us from it. This is the message Isaiah conveys when he calls the coming Messiah Everlasting Father.
Throughout this series, I've been doing something kind of fun. I have been contrasting these names from Isaiah with the names my messy, human nature prefers. (i.e., Practical Problem Solver instead of Wonderful Counselor; Personal Genie instead of Mighty God.)
Earlier, I said I find comfort in Jesus as our Everlasting Father. However, there are days when I would prefer Jesus our Vacationing Uncle. You know, the cool uncle who cruises into town for a week or two. We do some fun stuff together, and he buys me new toys. Then he leaves, and I'm free to do whatever I want with the stuff he gave me. It's a pretty comfortable relationship that doesn't ask too much of me.
If you think about it, this is the relationship the younger son wanted with his dad in Jesus' famous parable. He wanted his dad's money without the relationship. He wanted to be free from his father. And so his dad gives him his inheritance and lets him go. Love is always a choice.
But then the son falls on hard times. He blows all his money and is forced to take a job that defiles him. Finally, when he can't take the stench of pigs anymore, he decides to head back home with his head hung low.
The son didn't treat his dad as a true father. So now, the son doesn't expect the father to treat him as a true son. The best he could hope for is to be looked at as a hired worker.
But the son didn't realize his father never stopped waiting for him to come home. Just as Elijah's dad stood tall on that stage so Elijah knew where to go, this father kept watch on the road for his son.
So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20, NLT)
So, as we continue the Advent season, let's reflect on Jesus our Everlasting Father. He is not put off by our mess. He entered into it. He is not quick to disown us but is patient and kind. And he sacrificed everything to put us under his care.
And yes, an Everlasting Father will require more of us than a Vacationing Uncle. Any deep relationship does. It requires us to learn from him and discover what it means to be part of this Kingdom family. And over time, we begin to change. We become less concerned with the Father's stuff and more about becoming like him.
And yes, there are times we may run away. But the Father will always be there, waiting with open arms of compassion.
The late, great Rich Mullins put it best in his song Growing Young:
Well we are children no more, we have sinned and grown old
And our Father still waits and He watches down the road
To see the crying boys come running back to His arms
And be growing young
Questions of Ponder:
What does Jesus our Everlasting Father mean to you? How have you seen his compassion in your life?
How does Jesus our Everlasting Father differ from Jesus the Vacationing Uncle?
What emotions do you feel when you hear the word father? Knowing a little about what a father meant in the ancient world, how does Jesus fit into this name? What other insights can you glean from the father in Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son?
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