Happy Father's Day!!

Happy Father's Day!!

I was thinking about that little title...and thinking about what really makes for a "Happy" Father!

The Bible tells us that "there is no greater joy than to see your children walking in the Truth". A true and lasting joy for a Father comes from taking your children (and wife) by the hand and leading them to a genuine relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ.

Fathers, please do not let "Father's Day" be all about what gifts you receive or what special meal you can be served (nothing wrong with giving your father gifts or a meal, btw!!)...but instead think about the immense privilege you have to be their father. That God created "male" and "female"...and gave each specific roles and responsibilities. Because God has made you "male"...and a "husband" and "father", you have been called to lead and love the way Christ loves and leads the church. God gave you your wife and children as a gift from Him for you to "shepherd their souls". So, please take this role seriously! More serious than you take your vocation or you hobbies! Nothing will bring you more joy, and nothing will make you a "happy Father" more...not just for a day, but today and forever!

Listen to how James Alexander describes the husband and father's responsibility in his "Thoughts on Family Worship":
"the husband has the duty of providing spiritual leadership for his wife. Since he is to love her as Christ loved the church, the husband must do all he can to prepare his wife for heaven (Eph. 5:23-27). He must teach her the Scriptures and pray with her, pointing her again and again to our risen Savior. Similarly, fathers have a duty to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4)."

he continues...
"nothing will spur a father toward godly, spiritual discipline in his own walk with Christ more than leading his family in worship. In order to teach his wife and children, he will have to study the Scriptures on his own".

This is so true!!

Being a father and seeing that role from God's perspective is so humbling...which is a good thing! I realize that I am responsible for whether or not my family serves the Lord with gladness! Since I know that I am not equal to this task...it keeps me humbly dependent upon God and His grace at work in my life and then through my life to my family.

I pray that each of us as "fathers" will continue to pursue God more and more so that we might love Him more deeply and then be able to teach this and pass this on to our children.

I can honestly say that I am so thankful that God has blessed me with my wife, two children, and one more to come. My wife can tell you that every once in a while I will turn to her while watching our children and say something like "I love our family".

So, as a father, I am truly happy! Not because of all the nice things that my wife and children do for me...although there are many tangible ways that they express their love to me, but mostly I am "happy" because God has allowed me the great privilege of being a servant leader in my home to Jennifer, Jana, and Josiah and baby J "to be named later"!!

Once again,

Happy Father's Day!!