The theme for Lifeway’s Vacation Bible School in 2025 is ‘Magnified.’ Throughout the week of VBS children learn to magnify God, magnify God’s care, magnify God’s love, magnify God’s forgiveness, and magnify God’s faithfulness. There are many things that we may view as larger than life. For children, they may see their father as larger than life. A Godly man is a magnifying man. He is a man that is strong and wise and in many ways, larger than life. As we celebrate Father’s Day, we see that there are certain things that a Godly father will magnify as an example to his children.

                A magnifying father will magnify God. A magnifying father begins with a relationship with Jesus. A magnifying father will magnify God because the number one priority of his life is his relationship with Jesus Christ. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children  of God, to those who believe in His name.”^[1] Those who put their faith and trust in Christ alone are adopted into the family of God. A magnifying father is one who is a child of God. A man cannot magnify God to his children without first knowing God. Apart from a relationship with Christ, the impact of a father on his children is minimal. A father can teach his children all kinds of wonderful life principles and fill them with practical knowledge and important life skills, but if he has not led them to Jesus, he has done nothing.

                A magnifying father will magnify God’s care. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not be afraid or discouraged.”^[2] I like the way the message paraphrases this verse: “God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.”^[3]It is so good to know that God cares for me and provides all that I need. When I am adopted into the family of God, He does not leave me to fend for myself. My God walks with me and guides me throughout my life. He cares about every detail of my life. A magnifying father will magnify God’s care by caring for his children. I may not be able to do much, but as a father, I will work hard to provide the very best I can possibly provide for my children. I want to provide them with the best opportunities to be successful and to fulfil God’s purpose for their lives. A magnifying father will not abandon his children. He will be there for them. He will not leave them to fend for themselves, but he will always be available to provide a helping hand when needed.

                A magnifying father will magnify God’s love. There is no greater love than the love that God has for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”^[4]God’s love for us surpasses all that we could ever imagine. I do not think we could ever fully understand God’s love for us. To think that He would send His Son to die on the cross and pay the price for our sin. Talk about sacrifice! How many of us would sacrifice our son to die for the world? Poet John Bowering writes:

I cannot always trace the way
Where Thou, Almighty One, dost move,
But I can always, always say,
That God is love.

When fear her chilling mantle throws
O’er earth, my soul to heaven above,
As to her native home, upsprings,
For God is love.

When mystery clouds my darkened path,
I’ll check my dread, my doubts reprove;
In this my soul sweet comfort hath,
That God is love.

Yes, God is love; a thought like this
Can every gloomy thought remove,
And turn all tears, all woes, to bliss,
For God is love.

There is no possible way one can measure the love of God. However, the love of God can be seen and experienced in the love that a father has for his children. A magnifying father will magnify God’s love by the sacrificial love that he displays to his children every day. A father in his ruggedness may not be able to express his love in elegant words, but by his sacrifice, his love is known. 

                A magnifying father will magnify God’s forgiveness. Jesus laid down His life on the cross so that we may be forgiven of all our sin. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”^[5]When one believes on the Lord Jesus, his sin is completely removed. God does not impute upon us our sin. He does not hold our sin against us. Instead, He imputes upon us the righteousness of Jesus. When God looks upon those who have believed in Jesus, He does not see their sin; He sees the righteousness of Jesus. When God forgives, He forgives completely. As 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”^[6] A magnifying father will magnify God’s forgiveness by forgiving his children. Forgiveness does not negate consequences; however, forgiveness sustains relationship. A father may need to implement consequences for the bad behavior of his children; however, a father is still the father and his children are still his children no matter what. To forgive someone is to say that you are not giving up on them. The relationship still stands. When a father forgives his children, he will never bring up the wrong doing again. Once it is done, it is done. He moves on and does not hold their sin against them. A father should also be quick to confess his own faults and ask forgiveness from his children when he has wronged them. This demonstrates the need to own up to one’s wrongs and sets a good example for the children. As a father forgives his children, he demonstrates God’s forgiveness toward us.

                A magnifying father will magnify God’s faithfulness. Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”^[7] One can never be thankful enough for God’s faithfulness. He is faithful to keep our salvation secure. He is faithful in His promises. His faithful to hold us and never let go. He is faithful in our struggles. He is faithful in times of sickness and pain. He is faithful in times of loss and grief. He is faithful in times of prosperity. He is faithful in times of poverty. He is faithful when everything seems to go wrong. He is faithful when all is good. He is faithful. He is faithful. He is faithful! Great is His Faithfulness! A father will magnify God’s faithfulness in his faithfulness to his family. A Godly magnifying father will be faithful to his wife and his children. He will put his family first and understand that his first responsibility above all else is to God and his family. He will never abandon his family but is always there for them and will drop everything he is doing to be with them in time of need. Such faithfulness demonstrates God’s faithfulness and draws the family closer to the Lord by the example set by a magnifying father.

                Children need a magnifying father. One who paints a clear picture of who God is. One who leads his family to Christ as he magnifies Christ-like behavior. On this Father’s Day, may all father’s strive to be a magnifying father.

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^[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (Jn 1:12). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (Dt 31:8). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[3] Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Dt 31:8). NavPress.

^[4] The New King James Version (Ro 5:8). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[5] The New King James Version (Jn 3:16). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[6] The New King James Version (1 Jn 1:9). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Ps 100:5). (2016). Crossway Bibles.