Read Joshua 1:1-9
Yesterday I mentioned how I had gone to see the movie Courageous. With my son Brian. What a father-son experience. I am so thankful. It’s a must-see movie. A few more thoughts about fatherhood.There are a lot of things that us men can do in life. Start a business. Launch a career. Be involved in our communities. Then there’s the whole recreation thing. Boy, do some men pour a lot of time and energy into that one! Then there's the maintenance of vehicles and the house. There's so much for us to do. But one of the greatest things we can do is to be a father. Unfortunately, sometimes fatherhood gets lost in the busyness of life. The result is that our children get our left-over time. A few minutes before or during dinner. A few minutes before they go to bed. We don’t mean for it to be this way but we have ‘stuff’ to do. Important stuff. Stuff that involves work. Stuff that involves ourselves.
The fact is that our children grow up fast. Very fast. I know from first-hand experience. If we aren’t careful, our children will be raised by someone else. Friends. School. The media. The world. The result is that our children will have their values and not God's.
Before we know it our children will be out of the house. Out on their own. Making decisions that not only impact their lives, but the lives of others. And our lives as well. You would be surprised if you only knew how your children’s decisions can devastate your life. I’ve seen it up close. It ain’t pretty.
Somewhere in the past month I came upon the following comment on a blog. “I sit here thinking about how much courage it takes to live an ordinary life.” The comment stuck with me. I would also say that it takes courage to be a father. To be a godly father. Don’t expect any help from the world in this department. In fact, expect to be opposed. Expect to be fought tooth-and-nail. Expect that the combination of the flesh, Satan and the world are going to do everything in their power to keep you from influencing your child for God. They want to destroy your child. The question is, are you going take it sitting down? Or are you going to stand up and fight? Fighting takes courage.
Lord, I am no match for the forces that want to seduce and destroy my children. But You are. You are mighty to save. And no one can pluck them out of Your hand. Help me to be bold. And courageous. To fight the good fight. To put on the whole armor of God. To use all of the spiritual weapons at my disposal to defend my children from the enemy. That I will do my part in training them up in Your fear, wisdom and ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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