Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
(Verses 1-3)
Seek first the kingdom of God and all these (other) things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
"Get up, John Jr.!" bellowed the elder on Sunday mornings for all the child's life. "It's time to go to the Lord's House!"
The child stumbled out from under the covers and made his way to the bathroom where he washed the sleep out of his eyes and attempted to run a comb through his unruly hair. Downstairs, breakfast awaited. Oatmeal and toast, usually. John prayed over the food in accentuated holiness. A long speech to God that, when finally over, left the oatmeal cold. "This isn't fit to eat," said the father harshly to his wife. "It's cold as ice. Can't you even make breakfast?" He got up from the table and stuck his bowl in the microwave while his wife bowed her head and slumped down into her chair. Not wanting to be noticed or called out, John Jr. dug his spoon into breakfast and ate quickly. The sooner her could leave the table the better.
In the car on the way, big John quizzed his son about school. He wasn't really involved in the kid's life except to pontificate on the very little he knew about him. Usually that amounted to the drive to church each week. "How are your grades?" the man queried.
"Okay." John Jr. didn't want to start anything so early in the day.
"That's not an answer!" John Sr., already riled. "I asked you 'How are your grades?'"
John Jr. was always a little miffed that his mom just sat there. Said nothing. Like she was afraid of the man. "I have an A in English, a B in math, I don't know my grade in Social Studies.."
"Then find out!" John Sr. broke in. "What do you mean, you don't know! Of course, you know! God doesn't bless the slothful, John Jr.!"
And so it always went. At church, though, John Sr. was head deacon. A man in a dark suit, hair oiled and flat against his head, smelling of cologne and praying in loud and poignant rhetoric. An angry soul whose self-righteousness masked a heart dissatisfied and languishing. He didn't drink. He didn't cuss. He always gave a tenth. He provided for his wife and kid. What more could God want? John Sr. wasn't into the sentimentality of religion, though his tenor could be heard above the others as he bellowed out the hymns he'd grown up with. Life owed him for these things he did. God owed John Sr. because he played by the rules. Felt good about himself because he kept the Ten Commandments!
Across the congregation sat Patrick with his wife and three children. They'd begun the morning as they did every day. With prayer. "What's on your minds today, kids?" asked Patrick as they sat around the kitchen table after breakfast. "What do we need to talk to Jesus about?" Each of the children had stuff. Like always. "You know, Jesus hears our prayers, right?" They all nodded in agreement. "Okay. Well, let's talk to Him." And they did.
On the way to church, they sang Sunday School songs. Patrick wasn't a Christian as a child, so some of the songs his children learned were new to him. God had changed his life. Made him a new man. Church was the place where he learned how to live like Jesus wants him to. Patrick was amazed every morning when he got up that God loves him. Awed Jesus wanted a personal relationship with him. Patrick couldn't give enough, couldn't do enough, couldn't praise enough to ever return to Jesus all He had given. Patrick wanted to be a father to his own children that reflected the Father he now had in his God. "I know I'm not perfect," he'd say to his kids, "but I'm trying to be so you can know how wonderful Jesus is." He blew it sometimes. Sure. But he didn't live his life blowing up.
Two fathers. Keeping the commandments. Going to church. The psalmist pointing out that it's the father through whom the blessings come to the offspring. And having grown up in a very denominational environment, I get that we are often turned off by what we received from the experience. What God wants is a heart overtaken by His love. The man who obeys out of his own great passion for Jesus. Both fathers might look much alike in the congregation, but God is after what we do with all the other hours of our lives. Fathers impart holiness to their kids. Teach them to pray. Help them to walk the walk. By example. The chances of raising godly children are infinitely increased when the father delights in God. Runs to do what God asks of him. With joy. And only then can fathers be consistent in their walk with God on a daily basis. Rules don't change us. Commandments only tell us what we are doing wrong. If, by their own power, men try to live by the letter of the law, they will fail. Impart empty lives to children who are scorned for their inadequacies. The relationship of the father to his children should mirror the relationship of the father to his Father. And that is one of unconditional love and acceptance that stimulates children to compassion and good works. Because that's what "my daddy" did.
The promise is blessing to the father's children. Health and wealth--riches. A godly father will have imparted the road map for joy. Caught--not taught. If the father has a heart like his Father, his children will have a much better chance of taking that gift to the next generation. Generation to generation is how righteousness lives forever.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children lest they become discouraged. Colossians 3 (Italics, mine)
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her...husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.
Ephesians 5
Daddies have a big job. Praise be to God that He has given you everything you need to live a life of godliness! 2 Peter 1:3
(Verses 1-3)
Seek first the kingdom of God and all these (other) things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
"Get up, John Jr.!" bellowed the elder on Sunday mornings for all the child's life. "It's time to go to the Lord's House!"
The child stumbled out from under the covers and made his way to the bathroom where he washed the sleep out of his eyes and attempted to run a comb through his unruly hair. Downstairs, breakfast awaited. Oatmeal and toast, usually. John prayed over the food in accentuated holiness. A long speech to God that, when finally over, left the oatmeal cold. "This isn't fit to eat," said the father harshly to his wife. "It's cold as ice. Can't you even make breakfast?" He got up from the table and stuck his bowl in the microwave while his wife bowed her head and slumped down into her chair. Not wanting to be noticed or called out, John Jr. dug his spoon into breakfast and ate quickly. The sooner her could leave the table the better.
In the car on the way, big John quizzed his son about school. He wasn't really involved in the kid's life except to pontificate on the very little he knew about him. Usually that amounted to the drive to church each week. "How are your grades?" the man queried.
"Okay." John Jr. didn't want to start anything so early in the day.
"That's not an answer!" John Sr., already riled. "I asked you 'How are your grades?'"
John Jr. was always a little miffed that his mom just sat there. Said nothing. Like she was afraid of the man. "I have an A in English, a B in math, I don't know my grade in Social Studies.."
"Then find out!" John Sr. broke in. "What do you mean, you don't know! Of course, you know! God doesn't bless the slothful, John Jr.!"
And so it always went. At church, though, John Sr. was head deacon. A man in a dark suit, hair oiled and flat against his head, smelling of cologne and praying in loud and poignant rhetoric. An angry soul whose self-righteousness masked a heart dissatisfied and languishing. He didn't drink. He didn't cuss. He always gave a tenth. He provided for his wife and kid. What more could God want? John Sr. wasn't into the sentimentality of religion, though his tenor could be heard above the others as he bellowed out the hymns he'd grown up with. Life owed him for these things he did. God owed John Sr. because he played by the rules. Felt good about himself because he kept the Ten Commandments!
Across the congregation sat Patrick with his wife and three children. They'd begun the morning as they did every day. With prayer. "What's on your minds today, kids?" asked Patrick as they sat around the kitchen table after breakfast. "What do we need to talk to Jesus about?" Each of the children had stuff. Like always. "You know, Jesus hears our prayers, right?" They all nodded in agreement. "Okay. Well, let's talk to Him." And they did.
On the way to church, they sang Sunday School songs. Patrick wasn't a Christian as a child, so some of the songs his children learned were new to him. God had changed his life. Made him a new man. Church was the place where he learned how to live like Jesus wants him to. Patrick was amazed every morning when he got up that God loves him. Awed Jesus wanted a personal relationship with him. Patrick couldn't give enough, couldn't do enough, couldn't praise enough to ever return to Jesus all He had given. Patrick wanted to be a father to his own children that reflected the Father he now had in his God. "I know I'm not perfect," he'd say to his kids, "but I'm trying to be so you can know how wonderful Jesus is." He blew it sometimes. Sure. But he didn't live his life blowing up.
Two fathers. Keeping the commandments. Going to church. The psalmist pointing out that it's the father through whom the blessings come to the offspring. And having grown up in a very denominational environment, I get that we are often turned off by what we received from the experience. What God wants is a heart overtaken by His love. The man who obeys out of his own great passion for Jesus. Both fathers might look much alike in the congregation, but God is after what we do with all the other hours of our lives. Fathers impart holiness to their kids. Teach them to pray. Help them to walk the walk. By example. The chances of raising godly children are infinitely increased when the father delights in God. Runs to do what God asks of him. With joy. And only then can fathers be consistent in their walk with God on a daily basis. Rules don't change us. Commandments only tell us what we are doing wrong. If, by their own power, men try to live by the letter of the law, they will fail. Impart empty lives to children who are scorned for their inadequacies. The relationship of the father to his children should mirror the relationship of the father to his Father. And that is one of unconditional love and acceptance that stimulates children to compassion and good works. Because that's what "my daddy" did.
The promise is blessing to the father's children. Health and wealth--riches. A godly father will have imparted the road map for joy. Caught--not taught. If the father has a heart like his Father, his children will have a much better chance of taking that gift to the next generation. Generation to generation is how righteousness lives forever.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children lest they become discouraged. Colossians 3 (Italics, mine)
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her...husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.
Ephesians 5
Daddies have a big job. Praise be to God that He has given you everything you need to live a life of godliness! 2 Peter 1:3
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