As the year continues and I look for devotionals about dads, the next one that came up is called What Dad Needs. I am walking through the devotionals in the order that the Bible.com plans show them when I do a search for dad. It is different from the previous devotionals I have worked through this year but to make it something that will and can honor God, I am allowing the search results to determine what devotionals to work through. What Dad Needs is a 5-day devotional and is described on Bible.com this way:
Fathers are people who constantly sacrifice for their families with very little recognition. There are many ways to give back to these men in our lives, but it is sometimes difficult to know what they are and how to implement them everyday. As you dive into Biblical ways to recognize and strengthen your relationship with your earthly dad, you will also see the many ways they reflect our Heavenly Father.
What Dad Needs
Today’s verses from God’s Word come to us from Proverbs 11:25 and Proverbs 25:25.
‘A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. ‘
Proverbs 11:25
‘Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. ‘
Proverbs 25:25
When you think of resources and giving what comes to mind? Is it a closed fist in order to try and keep what you have or is it an open hand so that God is able to both add to it or replenish it as you are living a generous life? Do you realize that a closed fist may allow you to keep what you have but it also prevents God from being able to give you more? Let’s consider what God’s Word has to say about it in verses like:
- If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? — 1 John 3:17
- Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. — Galatians 6:2
- And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. — Hebrews 13:16
- Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” — Luke 6:38
- Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. — Luke 12:33
- Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. — Proverbs 19:17
- The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. — Proverbs 22:9
- Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. — Proverbs 28:27
- They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. — Psalm 37:26
- Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. — Psalm 112:5
- They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. — Psalm 112:9
- You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. — 2 Corinthians 9:11
- In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ — Acts 20:35
- Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. — Malachi 3:10
- For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. — Matthew 6:21
- And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” — Matthew 10:42
- One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. — Proverbs 11:24
- and many more are seen throughout scripture.
It’s a matter of the heart! We also are warned not to love money for the love of money is the root of all evil.
So let’s be generous on every occasion because of what God has placed in our hands. Let’s refresh others, for we know that even giving a cup of cold water for God’s purpose, in Jesus’s name will have its reward. As we refresh others, sowing refreshment, the law of sowing and reaping apply and as such we will be refreshed. It’s interesting how the power of a cup of cold water is spoken in proverbs too and how it parallels receiving good news. Will you be a bearer of good news? Will you share the good news you have received with others? Will share the good news generously with others? Do you realize how many people out there are wandering and wondering if there is anything good, any goodness, any good news? Will you be the bearer of the good news of the love of God? Will you be the bearer of the good news that God loves you so much He sent Jesus? Will you be the bearer of good news so that others can grab hold of the reality that Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world but rather that He came that through Him this world could be saved? Don’t grab onto the fear this world is peddling. Don’t grab onto the sadness this world is giving away. Receive the love of Jesus! Receive the Good News of Jesus! Accept Him into your life and start to live in a relationship with Him!
Today’s devotional has been provided by Gregg Matte from Houston’s First Baptist Church (more details can be found https://houstonsfirst.org/)
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
- What is it you look forward to that helps you get through the day?
- After a long day at school, what are you looking forward to that helps you get through the day?
- After a long day at work, what are you looking forward to that helps you get through the day?
- Is it time to relax in tub? in front of the tv? hanging with the family? connecting with friends?
- What is it that motivates you to push on?
- What is it that is refreshing you when you are weary?
- Is it encouragement from a father’s hug?
- Is it encouragement from a father’s words of affirmation?
- What do you do if you see that your dad is the one struggling? needing encouragement? feeling weary?
- Are you ready to be the one who provides refreshment, refreshing, love, a hug, encouragement?
- Are you ready to be the wife who provides refreshment, refreshing, love, a hug, encouragement to their husband?
- Are you ready to be the kid who provides refreshment, refreshing, love, a hug, encouragement to their dad?
- Are you ready to be the friend who provides refreshment, refreshing, love, a hug, encouragement to their friend?
- Are you ready to show dad your support by providing refreshment?
- Ever wonder what it would look like or take to refresh a dad?
- What about telling them they are doing a good job?
- What about giving them a pat on the back and saying “you are doing great”?
- What about expressing that the work they are doing is noticed?
- What about expressing that the work they are doing is appreciated?
- What about making quality time together as a family?
- What about making time to enjoy each other’s company?
- What about making time to be together and have fun?
- What about making time to have dinner together?
- What about making time to have a game night together?
- What about telling them they are doing a good job?
- Imagine being the dad who receives a gift, beautifully wrapped, with a letter inside that says “I will give you one hour every single day after dinner this year to do whatever you want together”.
- Imagine the value that it spoke to the dad!
- Imagine the value that time had on both of their lives!
- It’s priceless! It’s incredibly valuable! It speaks volumes! It speaks value!
- Ready to refresh your dad? Let them know you appreciate them and they are doing a good job!
- Ready to refresh your dad? Intentionally make time to be with them.
- Ready to refresh your dad through verbal expressions?
- Ready to refresh your dad through initiating quality time with them?
- Ever considered ways to be consistent in this?
- Just like faith that needs to be filled up daily because it leaks, so does the tank of a dad and so he needs refreshing regularly.
- Can you find a way to consistently refresh your dad?
- Today’s devotional closes out with the following prayer:
- Prayer: Father, thank You for opening our eyes to see that when we refresh others, we are refreshed. Help us to be intentional about spending time with You through Your Word. Help us to be intentional about spending time with our earthly fathers. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
