it. But the night before, I had had a very interesting conversation with my two toddlers in which
they had informed me about a special day, and a “surprise they had in mind”. As all toddlers
would, they struggled to keep it a surprise (secret) and finally told me it was Father’s Day the
next day, and they intended to get me jackfruit cake, simply because of my favorite fruit. We
went on to discuss the state of their bedroom. And I asked them that the best gift they could
give me on Father’s Day would be tidying up their bedroom. Which they happily promised to.
And from that conversation, and that innocent promise from my toddlers comes this reflection
that I will share.

That night before I slept, I received a couple of messages wishing me a “Happy Father’s Day”,
as you know things be! I kept asking myself, besides the wishes for me to be a happy father,
perhaps on this day, what makes me a Truly Happy Father?! Is it; What I am? What I’ve done?
What I have potential for? What I plan to do in the future? How Happy my Children are?! How
Happy my children will be in the future? What else?!

In fact, I shared my Reflection Questions on a platform of fathers, and later to others, and
asked; I wonder what makes them fathers, more so, Happy fathers?! Is it; the Past, the
Present, the Dreams, the Future plans, You, or the Children?
And because I’m a Theistic by Worldview, I took the reflection a notch higher by asking
myself, and those interested, especially those who call God, “Abba”, Father; What Makes
God a Happy Father?! As we wish ourselves , and indeed be “Happy”, Is Our Father Happy
on Father’s Day?

Nevertheless, I did wish my fellow fathers, and those who play fatherly roles, a Happy
Father’s Day! Not because I know they are perfect Fathers, but because I’m confident that
they will keep offering their best selves in this most important calling!
Interestingly, a friend and fellow father had this to say about my Father’s Day wishes; “Why
do we copy whites? Now what has changed! Am I reminded of my duties as father that am
not performing nandi ki (or what)?” Because he’s a friend, I already dealt with him on those
terms, and his ignorance fully forgiven. Reminded me of some people think that Christianity
is a white man’s religion!

Back to this year’s Father’s Day. I held a scientific BBQ at my place, and that was it. Not such
a big celebration, because more BBQs will happen at any time. I also had Jackfruit, but not the
cake. My little children couldn’t pull it off! But the day was fun with other events.

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I’m well pleased” (Matt. 3:16-17)
I have some of the cutest kids in the world (you can tell from the kind of cake they wanted to
get for their Father), but they don’t seem to have the cutest (read tidiest) bedroom most times!
And they don’t like it when I call it a pigsty because of how untidy it looks at times. Just like
other parents, I would prefer that my kids’ bedroom is tidy, in fact, cute! They seem to prefer
to pull all the toys down and just play with whichever at any time, while I prefer that they pick
out what they want to play with and play with that, and when they’re done they can pick another
and then play with it; and go on like that! As you can tell we have different preferences and
obviously one is tidy and other is not. And guess what? They don’t care! Only when I call it a
pigsty because that doesn’t sound good.

Their promise to tidy up on Father’s Day as a gift to me was perhaps their innocent desire to
please me. To make me happy! Perhaps then I could talk of a happy Father’s Day. But how
much could a 6-year-old and 4-year-old pull off in terms of tidying their room before they could struggled with the idea, because it coincided with his TV time! But he finally enjoyed it, as
pictures show. However, when I came in to inspect, they had only had fun! The toys were
packed away, but the floor was a wet! I called in my sister Anna to help (I’m currently onehanded)!

As a father, I was already happy and pleased with their innocent gesture. But can they
sustain it? I had the privilege of capturing the moment in picture. I’m one of those dads who
take lots pictures of my children. And as I sat down to look at the pictures, God reminded me
of the Questions I was asking about what would make Him Happy on Father’s Day!
Matthew records for us a very interesting moment in the life of Jesus, at the time of his Baptism.
One of the key moments that Trinitarian Confessing Christians will be familiar with, when after
Jesus baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on him in form of a dove and a voice spoke from
heave, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 

Worship, Baptism & Sacraments and their limits
This led me further to our own adult efforts of what we call worship, or even the Sacraments
themselves (Baptism, the Eucharist), things we traditionally do in the bid to “please” God –
open the heavens and bring the Holy Spirit down! To what do we do them? Is God pleased in
them as Our Father? I’m sure like I already was pleased and happy with my little toddlers, God
is exclusively pleased with us in Christ His Son, through whom we all became Children, now
approach the throne of God. And because what we do humanly would be insufficient on its
own, just like how my kids tidying was, the Spirit of God is always there at work in us, from
the start, not after we inevitably soon hit our limits and invite him in to take over!

Nothing my children did or failed to do that day, or the day before, the day after, would affect
how much I as their father Love them! And they know it. I tell them this ever day. They are
amazing! Nathan is great with gadgets, musical instruments, and blocks and stories, and games!
Janice loves ballet, drawing and painting, singing, and reading! And I’m proud of their school
work as well! But they said; “We want to do this because you are a good daddy!” Anyone with
children, or who knows about children, you probably have a clue what constitutes the largest
percentage of their meaning of “good”. Does it sound familiar to what we adults, Christians,
sometimes mean when we say that, God Our Father, is Good! In the case of my children, one
of them, didn’t even have to make any promises or fall short of anything! At eighteen months,
all she had to do was keep smiling, and laughing, and running all over! And I am a Happy
Father!

There is Rejoicing on Father’s Day!
The Gospel writer Luke records Jesus to have told a tree-part parable of “Lostness”, and it, the
most famous part being of the Lost Son, a.k.a Prodigal Son. Timothy Keller and other
theologians have preferred to interpret that story through the father. Hence arriving at the Book
title “The Prodigal God (2008), – reckless and extravagant father who spend everything on his
sons; and depicting two lost sons; the younger asking for his inheritance and going away to
squander it and getting lost in the wild city, and the elder brother lost at home serving his dad!
Jesus ends his story marveling his Middle Eastern audience with a father rising from sit and
running to receive with a kiss, the younger who returns in rugs, and smelling of sweat from a
long walk! The father bring him home and throws a party. Dresses him well, and puts sandals
on his feet and a ring on his finger! And they celebrate! Meanwhile, the elder brother is yet to
return from the field! On return, it’s obvious there is a party at home, and knows nothing about
it, but he later learn from the workers that it’s for his brothers return. Which angers him!
The closing scene is when the Father comes out to explain to his elder son and invite him in;
‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be
glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” Luke 15:31-32

All the Father was saying was; “Come in son, it’s Father’s Day! Let’s Celebrate! I’m Happy”

Throughout that parable, Jesus tells his listeners, that there is rejoicing in heaven over every
sinner that repents and turns to the God! Now you know what make God happy! Tidy up!
It is amazing how Jesus comes from a lost sheep, to a lost coin, and climaxes with a lost son!
But there is so much suspense! Just like us, Jesus’ first listeners wanted to know what happened
next. Did the elder son join his father’s party? Or did he remain outside on the grounds that the
celebration was about his rogue brother’s return?

Tim Keller, in his Book “The Prodigal God”, goes on to argue that this story is at the heart of
the Gospel story. God inviting people in, while there are others in. And me as an Evangelist and
Christian Apologist, I’m daily involved in the work of reaching out to people inviting them
home. Hopefully they come in and join the party. For the Son affirmed in Matthew 3:16-17, as
pleasing to the Father, is Crucified and presented in an unpleasant manner/figure (Isaiah 53:2b-
12) at Calvary; yet with hands wide open! And the same invitation to behold him as in Isaiah
52:13-14. We could not sufficiently do the tidying up ourselves! And you know how much a
mess we have made of our own lives, other people’s lives, and this world! But through that Son,
whom Paul the Apostle calls the First born, many have come in, and become children of God!
He is Our Heavenly Father! And to Him we can cry “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:4-6).

In what has commonly come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ teaches us, that if we are
going to call God “Our Father”, before we reach out to him concerning our daily needs, we
must pay attention to the areas He finds untidy! Everyday we surrender to Him that area of our
lives that needs tidying, He will help us clean up! And He will be Happy. He also wants to use
us to reach out to others to help them see how he’s working in us. And help them see the way
home! And when they come in, He is Happy! Every Day is a Happy Father’s Day for Our
Father. And, Father’s Day, just like the Christian Gospel story, is not a white man’s thing!

Why not make the Father of fathers Happy!