Last Sunday, we celebrated Father’s Day. Just like mothers, there are many fathers in the world. For men, unless called to be single, we are likely to be one ourselves. The world has always viewed mothers as the Nurturer and fathers as the Protector. However, in God’s design, both mothers and fathers are called to be so much more. God is very intimately involved in the life of His children, and the Bible has much advice to give to earthly fathers. What is God’s calling to you as a father?
Last Sunday, Pr Tan Moy How of Damansara Utama Methodist Church shared a sermon touching on the Biblical lessons we can learn about being the kind of father God designed. The big idea from Pr Tan’s message is to be the kind of father that brings his children up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Here are seven pointers toward this big idea:
- Be the first teacher (Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
As the head of their family, fathers have vital roles as teachers to the children God has blessed them. This role should not be relegated solely to the mothers, schools, or Sunday schools. There is a special bond in families, meant to exist between both parents and their children.
When it comes to being a teacher, the most important thing a father can instruct his children is to love and build a relationship with God, leading to a reverence for Him and His commandments. The earthly father should delight in bringing his family into spending daily devotional time with the Heavenly Father.
As you walk intimately with God, you will learn how to impart wisdom through deep heart-to-heart conversations with your children so they can grow in maturity in their relationship with God.
2. Be a good Examplar (2 Corinthians 3:2-3; James 1:22; Philippians 4:9; Psalms 16:8)
When it comes to authenticity, the best person your children can learn from is the people closest to them. And the best way children learn is by catching rather than being taught. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul writes that we are letters from Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but those of human hearts. How much is our word worth to us? Do we keep to them?
Being obedient to God’s word will bring life, peace, and rest. Christ helps us carry our burdens as we walk with Him. Our children will see the fruits, and they will follow. We must all learn to focus on God.
3. Be a Provider (1 Timothy 5:8; Matthew 7:9-12)
Being a provider is a position of responsibility, viewed very seriously by Scripture. It’s not always easy. There may be times when you may have to work extra hard, especially in challenging times. It’s also more than about money and food on the table. But the Word of God has also promised that He will never forsake us and that He is faithful in providing.
4. Be a Prayor (1 Chronicles 29:19; John 16:24)
In our walk with God, we need to converse with Him. King David prayed that God would give his son Solomon a wholehearted devotion to His commandments, statutes, and decrees. This is what prayer is about. Loving and devoted fathers pray for their children and for others. Through prayer, we can share our concerns and struggles with God. This includes anything on behalf of your children. You may be praying the same prayer every day but do not give up. In His timing, God will answer those prayers. If we ask according to God’s will, He will provide. In the process, we will build ourselves up in faith, joy, and security in the good, good Father.
5. Be a Walker in Love (Ephesians 5:1-2)
Being a father gives us a foretaste of how the Heavenly Father feels. When an earthly father looks at his children, he knows that he will love the child to the best of his ability. It is likewise with our Heavenly Father.
When we love someone, we will enjoy their company. We want to be constantly close to them, and we want to participate in their important and memorable occasions. More than that, however, we want them to be part of our lives and we in theirs.
The world today is full of distractions. Where we spent our time most is a measure of the importance we place our hearts in. If your time and attention are on your children, they will know. They can see our hearts and how valuable they are to us.
6. Be a Corrector (Hebrews 12:6; Proverbs 13:24b)
Not everything in life is pleasant. Pain and fear are definitely not pleasant, but they warn us of danger. They act as protective and self-defense mechanisms. It is likewise with discipline. Just as with pain and fear, no one likes discipline. However, in the long run, it produces fruit that is good for the soul.
In the Biblical context, discipline is part of what being a caring and concerned parent is about. Just like with our Heavenly Father and us, there may be times when we need to discipline our children. In such times, fathers need to be proactive in taking the lead in their families.
7. Be a Blesser (Genesis 12:3; Proverbs 13:22)
The Heavenly Father is a blesser. In Genesis, he did not just bless Abraham. He established a covenant with Abraham, through which all peoples on the earth will be blessed.
Being a blesser is taking on the role of someone who blesses or invokes a blessing on others. It is something that is imparted for the long term. A blesser never gives up on his children. Like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the love of a blesser never diminishes.
What can fathers bless their children with? The most precious thing they can bless their children with is an inheritance, and the best kind of inheritance goes beyond properties and finance. Such inheritance imparts something deep in them that they can carry throughout their life; such things as wisdom, integrity, and trustworthiness. Blessings such as these will empower our children and future generations to handle and manage God’s blessings in God’s ways to the glory of God long after we are gone.
Pr Tan shared that fathers are called by God to love their families with a compulsion. This compulsion is translated from the Greek word “συνέχω”, which is pronounced as “sunecho” and connotes a forward momentum, keeping enemies and negativity away, and never giving up but always pressing on. Just as Christ loves us, fathers are called to let the love of Christ “sunecho” them.
Note: This article was written through the lens of impartation the writer received from Pr Tan’s message.
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