The Heart of a Father

Recently I was shopping for Father's Day at a department store in the mall and was appalled by the display of shirts. The shirts referenced subjects that supposedly are important to fathers these days. Logos such as "Time Flies When You're Having Rum" displayed themes of activities that are against the Bible. The first Psalm gives clear teaching on what a good father should be. His delight is in the law of the Lord instead of distractions such as business, pleasures, hobbies, and technology. The many Scriptures from the Bible teach the importance of the role of the father. These precepts do not change. Our world is suffering from a lack of godly leadership in the home. 

Hollywood does much to downplay the Father's role. In movies, fathers are often disrespected. Little children are being taught that the moms are actually the leaders and that the dad's ideas and plans do not work. Moms in the home can add to this belittlement by commenting to their children, "Your Father should not have done this; Your dad works all the time; He never goes anywhere with us; Your dad is not capable of making this decision." 

What about the young person in the home whose dad is not a godly leader? Some of the best men and women that I know are people who did not have a godly father in the home. God called Gideon to be a leader to the people of Israel even though his father was a man who hewed idols. God saw that despite the flaws in Gideon's father, Gideon, through Christ became a "mighty man of valor." I believe Gideon realized that God was His Father and courageously won great victories through the power of God. Gideon did not let his father's occupation as an idol builder keep him from obeying God's command to tear down the idols. 

It is also amazing how often the faith in God that a son or daughter has can soften a parent's heart to Christ over time. After Gideon had torn down the idols, his father protected and defended him against those who were angry at Gideon. Gideon's obedience to God affected his father. It is remarkable to me that Gideon's name was changed to "Jedediah," which means "Let Baal plead for himself." Amazingly, the very last words of the Old Testament are, "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers...." (Malachi 4:6)

The institution of the family, which began in the garden of Eden and carried through the Old Testament years, shows its importance by being the last subject of the inspired Scriptures for four hundred years. When the father takes the initiative, the son is inclined to follow Christ, which is shown by this Scripture stating the father's heart before the children's heart. The father must model wholehearted commitment to God to his children. Before the father attempts to save the world, he must realize his first priority is to make sure his children are saved. God calls on fathers today to stand for what His Word teaches is right and boldly stand against wrong issues. Today's culture teaches that it "is unloving to stand against sins of the Bible." Men of God must be willing to be the object of laughter. "It is no disgrace for a man to be laughed at but to deserve to be laughed at that is the disgrace." (Matthew Henry) 

Consider Jesus Christ and His willingness to stand against hypocrisy in the church, his preparedness to be a man and to stand even during hunger, physical suffering, and mockery. Jesus Christ came on a mission to do His Father's will to save the world. A father must realize his responsibility to ensure his family is ready for Heaven no matter the cost. He must realize that Satan is on the warpath to take all fathers down. If the devil can get the father, he can more easily get the whole family for his kingdom. The father must be willing to fight on his knees and endure hardness as a good soldier for Jesus Christ. 

Rise up, O men of God! 

The church for you doth wait—

Your strength unequal to the task,

But Christ in you is great! 

Lift high the cross of Christ; 

Tread where His feet have trod;

As brothers of the Son of Man, 

Rise up, O men of God! (Phil Keaggy)