Erma Bombeck once wrote, “When I was a little kid, a father was like the light in the refrigerator. Every house had one, but no one really knew what either of them did once the door was shut.”
It’s true. Many people have no idea what fathers are suppose to do. Many fathers don’t even know. But they can know if they pay attention to God’s Word, the Bible.
The Bible says in Psalm 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” To be a father according to the Bible, you start by being grateful.
Often fathers view their families as interruptions or money pits. Fathers need to start by changing their own perspective. Our families are rewards from God.
The Bible tells us that our children can be a source of great joy (Proverbs 15:20). What an opportunity for influence! This Father’s Day, dads should thank God for what He has given them.
Of course, true fatherhood takes more than thankful thoughts. There are duties to be carried out. The Bible tells us all about our jobs as dads. We are responsible to provide and protect. We are called to take the leadership in the home.
We must instruct and correct our children. We take spiritual leadership by praying, reading the Bible, and taking our family to church. And that’s not all.
Many dads feel like failures these areas. How can we ever do all that? Some may even think, “But I don’t even pray and read the Bible. How can I lead my family to do that?”
That feeling is real for many. It’s a reminder that true fatherhood must begin with who you are. What is your own heart and spiritual direction?
Before God outlines some of the duties of parents, He says, “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul…” (Deuteronomy 11:18). A father’s own heart and soul comes first. He needs to receive God’s words personally.
Then he can take care of the fatherly duties given in the next verse. “…And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 11:19).
A father’s own relationship with God and the Bible will affect his family. Dads need to commit themselves to God first and foremost.
A father once came to Jesus for help with his son. The son was demon possessed and nearly died several times. No one else could help, although they had tried. Now at last, he came to Jesus.
Jesus gave him the most important counsel any father could ever receive. He said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).
That father needed faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When Jesus saw that faith, the father received help from God. To be a father, you need faith in Jesus Christ more than anything else.
Ask God to forgive your sins through Jesus Christ. He will. And He will give you grace to be a true father for Father’s Day.
