This weekend we honor our fathers on Father’s Day. We can truly praise the Lord for all the fathers who have been true to their God given responsibility of being the spiritual leader and provider of their family.
[Honor] is to be bestowed upon a father who not only instructs his family in the ways of the Lord – but more importantly one who applies the Word of the Lord in his own life. The Scriptures teach us that fathers are to remind their families of the blessings that are afforded us from our heavenly Father when we are obedient unto God’s Word. Likewise, the Scriptures teach us that fathers are to vociferously warn their families of the cursings that are afforded us when we are disobedient unto God’s Word.
Fathers are God honoring when they teach their families the ways of the Lord – not only in word – but most importantly in deed. When a father honors his heavenly Father with his own life, he exemplifies one who daily walks by the Word of the Lord. Subsequently, his life teaches his children the foundational precepts and benefits of Ephesians 6:2-3,
“Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
A father who lives by the Word of God also teaches his family what it truly means to reverence, honor, worship and obey our heavenly Father; for herein are we blessed of God. When a father – by example – seeks forgiveness from the Lord when he sins, he teaches his family the importance of maintaining a sweet fellowship with the Lord. Likewise, he also teaches that unconfessed sin harms our fellowship with the Lord. Furthermore, when confessing his sins before the Lord, he exemplifies a true understanding of the following Scripture.
Psalm 51:4,
“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
Equally true, it is just as important that his family hears from his own lips praise offered up to the Lord, as in the following Scriptures.
Psalms 28:7,
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
Psalms 145:2,
“Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.”
When a father truly lives his life according to God’s Word, he will clearly understand the following passages of Scripture.
Psalms 1:1,
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Psalms 34:8,
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalms 40:4,
“Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
Psalms 94:12,
“Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;”
Proverbs 8:34,
“Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.”
Jeremiah 17:7,
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
James 1:12,
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Wives and children want from their husbands / fathers [godly men] who will lead their homes in the ways of the Lord. Though the path may seem hard at times, it is most rewarding. When a man leads his family according to God’s ways, in God’s eyes, and his family’s eyes, he is most blessed. I pray that each father will take to heart his God given responsibility to walk according to the Word of God – and that it may be seen in the eyes of his family. I pray that we who are fathers [and those who will someday be fathers] will heed what God’s Word declares – lest we be found guilty of abdicating our God given responsibilities. To all our fathers, Happy Father’s Day!!
