We are blessed in this congregation to have some great dads. I see fathers who exhibit a God-given responsibility to be the kind of dad God wants them to be. I witness them taking their stewardship of their children from God very seriously. Life is not all about them – it’s about God using them in all areas of life, beginning with their family.
Christian fathers have some responsibility to lead their children from here to heaven. We brought them into this world – now we need to bring them to heaven. I recently read an article that said: Statistics show that mothers are more likely to lead their children in spiritual matters than fathers. If it is true then a lot of fathers are going to have some explaining to do before God.
Listen to the word of God regarding a father’s responsibility for raising faithful kids:
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
The most important stewardship Mike the preacher has in his life is helping his children and grandchildren grow up to love, respect, revere, and obey God in Christ. No matter what else I do that is notable, I would feel like an absolute failure as a Christian leader if I did not lead my children to God. I imperfectly try to lead (and much of the leading is done now that our kids are adults) but my most often, intense prayer to God is to help me be a better Christian father so my children and their families will all end up in heaven together. I hope all of us dads are praying that prayer and striving for that goal. I hope it shows in your priorities and how you live out your Christian faith as leaders of the family.
…Mike