Great Dads commit their children to God’s care
The Dad and God
Matthew 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name…
In all areas of family life men are called to take up the leadership role, and to show by their own life example the way for their children to live. This is a great responsibility for us as men, but thankfully we don’t have to carry the weight of this obligation alone.
During the process of raising children there are times when many men may feel out of their depth and floundering. It is for this very reason that I have developed a daily relationship with God, our Heavenly Father, so I can ask for and receive His guidance and wisdom for being a dad.
Jesus revealed through what we commonly know as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ that God is in truth the Father of us all, and cares about every aspect of our lives. It is through the development of a firm abiding trust in God that we are able to access wisdom and knowledge that we can use daily in our role as a father.
It is important to know that God Himself loves our children even more than we do, and His desire is to see their life blessed both now and eternally. With God’s help we as fathers do not need to not fall into the trap of fearing the worst in our child’s life, but can enjoy the freedom of trusting and hoping for the best.
Baby dedication
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
So many children these days are disadvantaged by their parents not allowing or hindering them coming to Jesus for His blessing. A child’s precious life is shaped early by the contacts they have or don’t have with either good or bad influences. God’s great love is available for all and especially for children who are particularly open to His Holy Spirit’s guidance and positive influence. When God speaks to a child their whole life can be blessed by His impact upon their heart and life direction, and they can avoid many of the pitfalls that we as men know are out there in the world.
From the moment my children were born and even when they were in the womb, I prayed for God’s blessing and protection upon their lives daily. I committed them into His safe-keeping spiritually that they would be spared from the evils of this world and would find an eternal home with Jesus Christ. I dedicated my family and especially my children into God’s protection and blessing and enjoy the peace that commitment gives me as a father.
Daily prayer for your child
Numbers 6:22-26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”’
The lives of our children are precious in our sight as fathers, and even more so in the sight of our Loving Heavenly Father. As we stand in our role as their father and pray for them we are building a hedge of protection and God’s favour around their young lives. Their innocence and purity must be protected and thankfully we as fathers can go to God daily for His help and wisdom in how to achieve this. Developing a habit of spending time daily thanking God for His blessing and favour upon our children can bring tremendous changes for the better in their future.
Guidance through scriptures
Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
A life without faith is a life without hope. Children that are brought up without the comfort and of the scriptures in the Bible are like pieces of driftwood upon the sea of life, they have no choice or ability to change where they are going. The foundations of faith, hope and love that are found in the Bible set up a young life for success, both here on earth and ultimately in eternity. By daily study of the scriptures we as fathers build up a storehouse of wisdom and insight into our role as a parent, and can guide our children in life with confidence.
Releasing the apron strings
As our children continue to grow it is our role as their father to prepare them for life as an adult, and this involves allowing them incrementally more authority in their own life when we believe that they are ready for it. By initially giving them charge over little areas in their life, like choosing what they will wear etc. we are helping them become aware of the benefits and responsibilities of having a free will. When they are adults they will be able to do and say what they choose in life, so now is the time when we have the opportunity to teach them the wisdom that will enable them to make better choices.
‘Great Dads’ continually entrust their child’s life into the hands and protection of the ‘Almighty’ and let go our own control of their lives one piece at a time. I have never found this easy personally, for as a dad I always want to protect and shelter them from life’s storms. But as the wise proverb says “If we give a man a fish we feed him for a day, but if we teach him to fish we will feed him for life”. We will not always be there for them, our own lives on this earth will come to an end, and we must ensure that they are ready and trained to continue on when we are gone.
God is better able to protect them than we ever can be, even as a loving dad. By committing our children’s lives into His care we are freed from many of the worries and fears that would emotionally restrict us. Our firm abiding trust in God as our Father frees us to be better able to enjoy the experience and honour of being a ‘Great Dad’.
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