Dad, Start A Tradition
Dad, your children deserve a father who will model the Christian life before them, teach them the truth of God’s Word, and show them how to receive the gift of eternal life. And it could be that in your family this beautiful tradition will begin when you commit your life to Jesus Christ.
Author and Bible teacher Gordon MacDonald tells the story of three mediaeval stonemasons who were working on a building project, when a passer–by asked them what they were doing. ‘The first replied that he was laying bricks. The second described his work as that of building a wall. But it was the third stonemason who demonstrated genuine esteem for his work when he said, “I’m raising a great Cathedral.” Ask that same question to any two fathers concerning their role in the family and you are likely to get the same kind of contrast. The first may say, “I’m supporting a family.” But the second may see things differently and say, “I’m raising children.” The first looks at his job as putting bread on the table. But the second dad sees things from God’s perspective: he’s participating in the shaping of lives.’
R.A. Torrey, the great Bible teacher, once said, ‘A man’s success as a Christian leader cannot be determined until one sees his grandchildren.’ Dad, think about that—you’re not just raising sons and daughters, you’re raising future fathers and mothers. You’re shaping lives today that tomorrow will be shaping the lives of generations to come. And in order to succeed, you must take God with one hand and your children with the other.
Acts 20:7–12 ()
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7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.
Jeremiah 29:4–14 ()
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4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.
10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.