Proverbs 23:24 (NIV)

The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

Our Verse of the Day presents a thought that resonates so deeply with me. Indeed, the father of a righteous child has great joy! Indeed, a man who fathers a wise son (or daughter) rejoices in him (or her)!  Righteous. Wise. Faithful. These are the qualities I believe every father desires to instill in his children. What could possibly matter more to a man than to see his children living in the light of the Truth? As the Apostle John exclaimed: “It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling me how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (Cf. 3 John 3-4)

When I contemplate my own life, and the legacy I hope to leave my children, I pray the most important “take away” they will receive from me will be a legacy of faith in Jesus Christ.  I have found that nothing else truly matters in this life except our fellowship with God and our love for Him … and accordingly, our sincere love for one another. Leading our children to faith in Jesus Christ and discipling them in the faith is the greatest demonstration of real love that I could ever imagine to impart. Why?  Because I know they will not have or experience abundant life or fulfilling love apart from Him.  If we love and cherish children as God ordained for men to do, then it follows that we must bestow upon them the best gift possible … the love of God through His Son … the only hope of eternal life!

I am sure that most of us have sometimes failed to be consistent in our own journeys of faith over the years … and our examples have not always been the best in difficult situations or personal challenges.  But in whatever way we have fallen short of being God’s best for the building of our children’s faith, know it is never too late to redeem the time or to express a sincere desire to continue the walk together going forward.  And so, do not hesitate to humble yourself and ask your children to look beyond the sins … the missteps and mistakes made along the way … and assure them that you have endeavored and will always strive to love each of them as you have been loved by God through His Son.  Yes, remind them that God is their true Father … and that His love is perfect, full of grace, and abides forever.

As we approach the celebration of Father’s Day this upcoming Sunday, I think it is wonderful that we will receive some verses that focus on the roles of fathers and the experience of fatherhood.  Though we who have become human fathers are quite imperfect, the purpose for which God created us is to reflect His unique and holy relationship with His children.  He is our Provider, our Protector, and our Priest! And these are the roles that God ordained for men since He formed Adam.

My friends, if we look at the disorder and evil within the world today, so much of it can be traced to the lack of fathers in the home … the lack of fathers not fulfilling their God ordained roles in their homes.  Not only does this rebellion against God affect the lives of their children, it impacts the wellbeing of our communities and our nation. So, I want to encourage every father (and mother, too) who is praying for their children who have wandered from the faith. I pray you will persevere in prayer before our Heavenly Father. For though the spiritual battle is intense, the battle belongs to Lord! It is His victory! Indeed, God expects us to fulfill our roles as we are led by His Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to ask for the “veil” to be removed from your child’s eyes … that they too might see the light of God in Christ Jesus. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4) Yes, continue to watch and pray without ceasing! And I pray that I will be celebrating your victories with you soon as well…. Amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. ~ Psalm 103:13-14