As this Father’s Day approaches, for me, it is a bitter-sweet time of
remembrance, for it has been but less than a month ago that I was called
home to lay my own Dad to rest.
Although my Dad was well over 80,
he had been in reasonably good health; so when tragedy struck without
warning, to say that I was somewhat caught “off guard” would be a mild
understatement. But then again, who is ever “REALLY” prepared for the
death of one that we deeply love?
Nevertheless, I was truly
blessed with a Dad (that for most of my life) had exemplified what it
means to live the life of a good and godly man. And it is especially
with “his” memories so deeply etched into the recesses of my mind that I
now pay homage to all the fathers who have set those same examples for
their children.
I am a living testimony to the fact that, “No
father is ever a perfect Dad” and my Father wasn’t perfect either, nor
did he ever claim himself to be. But I knew that when he accepted Christ
as his personal Savior, he wholeheartedly tried to live his life
committed to God, putting forth a very concerted effort to also help his
children to do the same.
No, I didn’t always live up to his
expectations, and I’m sure that there were times that I brought sadness
to his heart because of bad choices that I sometimes made. But Dad never
gave up on praying for me.
My Dad may not have had a deep
theological concept of all the tenants of Christianity, but when it came
to setting the standard for holy living, my Dad lived the Christian
life by example.
I never knew him to lie, cheat, or steal from
anyone, and he expected us (my brothers and I) to live by those same
standards. My Dad was a strict disciplinarian, but he was always fair.
That did not mean that we always did right, but boy we sure did our best
to make certain that Dad never found out if our actions ever crossed
those lines. And I well understood “rewards for righteousness and
punishment for evil” long before I comprehended the teachings of
Scripture.
Nevertheless, how grateful I am that Dad instilled in
me (even in my youth) that morality, integrity, and hard work go hand in
hand with living godly. And Dad wasn’t much on “Hand Outs”… but he was
all into giving those less fortunate a “Hand Up.”
As a Father
myself, I hope that when the day arrives that God calls me home that my
children will also be able to call me a good and a godly Dad. And to all
fathers reading this letter, if ever there has been a generation that
is in such dire need of fathers who will be men of integrity and honor,
this is that generation.
All kids need the love of a father’s hug
and they need a man to show them what “real” manhood is all about. If a
man truly loves his family, he’ll see that their needs are provided, he
will protect them from harm, and above all else, he will show them
Jesus.
All fathers have been commissioned with the same duty, and
when it comes to our children there are 2 invaluable lessons that we
must make certain that our children know.
First (and foremost)
Dads, we must learn to “lead by example” and show our children how to
make heaven home. For of a certainty, this life (at best) is only
temporary, and all of us will one day spend eternity somewhere. Without a
doubt, there is a “REAL” Heaven for all to gain, and a “REAL” Hell for
all to shun.
Lastly, we must also teach our children how to make a
living and survive in this world when we are no longer around, for the
“Law of Averages” says that most of them are still going to be here long
after we are gone.
May God help each of us who are Fathers to
make sure that we are living godly lives and that we are positively
impacting the most precious gifts that God gives to any parent—“Our
Children!”
And to the children: If are blessed to have your Dad to
still be alive today, please don’t wait until it’s too late to say how
thankful you are (to God) for him.
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones
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