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 22:6, Proverbs 23:15-21, and Romans 3:23.
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NIV
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path: Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:15-21 NIV
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:23 NIV
Ever paused when you hear, see, or read God’s Word to see what it is saying to you right here and right now? Today’s devotional gives us three readings to chew on and consider what God is trying to say to us since His Word is alive, His Word is active, and His Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, the sword of the Spirit. To be the dads God created us to be, we need to be raising our kids in the knowledge and trust of Him. We need to help them to not only hear about but see that we have a living and breathing relationship with God and they can too. We need to help them to see it everywhere by the ways we bring God into our every situation, the good ones, the bad ones, and even the ugly ones. We can help them to build up their faith and trust in Him so that when they grow up and leave the nest, our home, and we give them into God’s hands they will remember, they will have their own relationship with God, and they will not turn away from Him for the rest of their lives, leaving an incredible and godly legacy for them and future generations.
Proverbs 23 shares a bunch of interesting nuggets for us to grab a hold of as we live out today. We need to pass on God’s wisdom so that our kids have wise hearts and lips that speak what is right. We need to pass on the importance of humility and love so that their hearts won’t become envious but instead be passionate and committed to God and His will and purposes. Let’s help them to take hold of the reality that God has a plan for them and it includes giving them hope and a future. Let’s help them to know the difference between right and wrong so that they can walk down the right path which is narrow and leads to life. Let’s help them to be content and godly leaders who don’t fall into the trap of drinking and gluttony that leads to poverty.
We need to help them walk their lives with the reality that nobody is perfect. God’s Word tells us how all have sinned, missed the mark, and aren’t perfect and hence fall short of the glory of God. We are all in need of a savior and His name is Jesus! We need to help them both by example and support. So today as we step into this day, let’s be the dads God created us to be so that our kids, our wives, and our world will get the best version of us.
Today’s devotional has been provided by Gregg Matte from Houston’s First Baptist Church (more details can be found https://houstonsfirst.org/). Today’s final chapter included a link for more information about this devotional that points here: https://houstonsfirst.org/message/three-things-every-dad-needs-from-proverbs.
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)
- Have you taken up the offer from God’s Word to be saved?
- God’s Word tells us that we just need to call on the Lord and receive His gift of eternal life.
- Have you invited Jesus into your heart yet?
- Have you gone from being saved to living out a relationship with Jesus?
- It took me till I was in my 30s to realize it wasn’t about checking boxes, following rules and regulations, but rather it is all about having a real and living relationship with Jesus!
- Are you living an active faith where your faith causes you to live out in action God’s love for you and for others?
- Faith without actions is dead.
- We can’t just be talking the talk, we need to be walking the walk (faith in action).
- It’s a matter of the heart! It’s not about being perfect, for God’s Word tells us that none of us are. We all miss the mark at some point.
- God searches our hearts! When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we are able to let Him create a new heart in us, a clean heart.
- So let’s not try to go it alone! Let’s pursue God in this life we have to live.
- Do you realize the greatest gift you can give your Heavenly Father is your heart?
- Do you realize it isn’t that different from what your earthly father wants, that you give your heart to God?
- Will you choose Jesus in response to what dads have taught you?
- Do you realize just like God, dads aren’t looking for perfection but rather for your good?
- Do you realize dads want you to have a heart that is seeking wisdom from God and Jesus above all else?
- Do you realize that dads are willing to help guide you down the right path? to help you get back on track when you get lost?
- Do you realize that dads are overjoyed in knowing that their children have received, listened, and developed an understanding of what they have been taught?
- Do you realize that by trying to please our Heavenly Father, we naturally please our earthly dad?
- Will you show up in order to show God you are wanting more of Him?
- Will you show up in order to show God how important He is to you?
- Are you ready to take the various things covered in this devotional to honor your dad and apply them to honoring God?
- Will you choose to respect His importance?
- Will you choose to carry out His legacy?
- Will you choose to spend time with Him?
- Will you choose to spend time in His Word?
- Will you choose to spend time in prayer?
- Will you choose to live a life in alignment with His commandments?
- Will you choose to delight God by your choices in how you live out your life?
- Will you choose to take the wisdom your dad gave you and use it to shape your life?
- Will you choose to reflect on what your dad taught you?
- Will you consider what he has taught you and choose to live wisely?
- Today’s devotional closed with the following prayer:
- “Prayer: Father, we thank You for the past few days we have spent in this devotional. Thank You for teaching us about our fathers and about who You are. Help us to take all that we have learned and use it to reflect Your love. We ask that You bless our fathers. We bless Your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
