By: Donna Martin
The Bible gives great hope and promise to the dad who walks in God’s ways. Psalm 112:1-2 states, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” And in Proverbs 10:7 God’s Word states, “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.”
What a great promise for the father who lives a Godly life. Every loving father wants the best for his children. Men work hard to provide physical and material needs for their families, and that is good. But the promise of the Bible does not say the children of the man who gives them the most material possessions will be blessed. No, it is the children of the man who fears the Lord.
What is a man who fears God? The Bible speaks of fear as it relates to God in over 300 references. Deuteronomy 10:12,20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” A man who fears God has the greatest respect for Him, but it also means that he understands how much God hates sin and how God disciplines those who sin against him. Just as children fear the consequences of their parent’s discipline and so they obey, a God fearing man also fears God’s judgment and discipline so he seeks to obey God. But he is not scared of God, because he knows that if he is a believer, nothing can every separate him from God’s love. A God fearing man respects God, obeys God and worships God with reverence and awe. Fearing God keeps a man from caving in to his own sinful nature. If a father is a God fearing man his family knows that they can trust him, that he will keep his word, and that he will treat them with kindness and love.
Being a father is a big responsibility. It is not a job for cowards. But the rewards of being a father who fears God are many, and they will continue on for generations to come. If you are a father and you do not have a relationship with our heavenly father, we pray that you will come to know him today. You can do that by praying, confessing your sins, and asking God to be the Lord of your life. See the home page of our website. Look under the section entitled “More Information” and click on “Read This First”.
The Martins currently present “Happy Together” Marriage Enrichment Events for churches and organizations. To schedule an event call Michael at 940-735-1515. They are certified “Prepare/Enrich” Facilitators and are available to work with couples on an individual basis using the “Prepare/Enrich Assessment.” They publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues. You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriages.com.