Honoring the Father!

By: Steve Hill

Friends, one of my earliest and most constant memories while growing up is of my father reading the scriptures privately and with the family.  Reading at 5:00 in the morning before milking cows took some personal discipline and love of the scriptures!   I can still hear the measured tones of his voice reading at the dinner table.  He continues to lead in reading and prayer after dinner.  

His personal integrity and example laid a foundation in my life of respect and love for the scriptures and for a life lived in obedience to them.  My dad is eighty-four now and still cuts wood most days, still volunteers at the local used clothing store and food bank, still drives "seniors" to their doctors appointments, serves in his local church and with mom continues to pray for us.

We are not together so often but my dad is still a foundation of my life.  He is the third of three generations of godly heritage that we are passing on to our children and grand children as an inheritance of favor, blessing and righteousness.  

However not all men make righteous choices.  Not all men live lives of long obedience in one direction!  Seeking to honor our fathers can be painful and difficult!

Every one of us who is a father needs the honor of being forgiven, of being blessed and of being prayed for.  Every one of us has failed to fully represent the Father to our children.  We have all given occasion for misunderstanding and offense!  Our job is to point our children to Him!   That is our honor!

Whether fathers have failed in that honor in small ways or in massive tragedies the instruction of Jesus is to forgive them, bless them and pray for them.  You are not a victim unless you choose to be one!  You can choose to act.  You can choose to forgive!  Your choices determine your life.  Your choices create your future!  Whether in thanks or forgiveness you can honor your father!

Your choices to forgive, to bless and to pray cause the ultimate Fatherhood of God to be established in your life.  Both Matthew 5:45 and Luke 6:35  promise the same reward, "You will be sons of your Father in Heaven".  As your heart flows like His heart, you will know that you really are His son!  As you do what He does, you will know that you are His!  As you live His lifestyle, you will know that you live in His house!

I am thankful for a godly inheritance!  Yes, the best time to plant a tree is fifty years ago.   But the next best time to plant a tree is now!   You can begin a long obedience in one direction which will leave a godly inheritance for your children and grandchildren. You can leave an inheritance of righteousness.  The most important thing is not how you began in life but how you end!

You can walk as a son of God!
You can honor the Father!

Thanks Dad!
Steve