Today I started a new search for “dad” devotionals on bible.com and the next one in the series is Father Like The Father. I appreciate God’s leading and sorting of articles so that the topics and instruction we can get around be the dads are on point and speak the truth in love. Bible.com introduces the devotional like this:
Throughout Scripture, God is called Father. Yet how does He father His children? What parenting principles can we learn by observing His interactions with humanity? This seven-day study will examine key Scriptures which will help you to father like the Father.
Father Like The Father
Today’s devotional connects with Genesis 1:28 and Hebrews 1:1-2 which tell us:
‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” ‘
Genesis 1:28
‘In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ‘
Hebrews 1:1-2
It is interesting what God speaks to us in Genesis 1. If we expand on today’s verse we see:
‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.’
Genesis 1:27-31
God created man and woman, male and female, and told them to be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. God created man and woman with a plan and a purpose that was good. God created man and woman so that they would come together in a holy union to be able to be fruitful and increase in number. In Genesis 2 we see this spoken to give us additional context where it says:
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24
God’s plan was for His glory and our good. God’s plan is that we will have hope and a future. God’s plan is good.
God wants to have a relationship with us. He isn’t wanting us to have a checklist of tasks to do and go on with life but rather that we will have a relationship with Him. He desires a relationship where we spend time together, talk with Him, and build a deeper and more intimate relationship. There are many who may be looking for a list or be going through the motions but it isn’t about rituals and routines but rather it is all about having a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Our second scripture for today’s devotional tells us and points to us how we can have a direct connection and relationship with God. We don’t need to be working through someone else but can have a direct connection and intimate relationship with God. So today as we consider today’s devotional about being the dad that mirrors being a father like the Father, our Heavenly Father, let’s pause and be ready to not only speak but listen to what God has to say to us and through us today so that we can be the dads He created us to be.
Today’s devotional has been provided by Carlos Santiago and FamilyLife (more details can be found http://www.familylife.com)
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)
For more information on communicating with your kids listen to, Blessing Your Child Through Your Words on FamilyLifeToday.com.
Communicate
- Had an interesting conversation on the weekend between dad and father. And yet when I got started on this journey the word dad is what was used. My friend is correct that it takes one act to become a dad and yet a lifetime to be a father. To me they should be the same, dad should not equate to sperm donor. When I say Be The Dads it is the lifetime commitment of how God created us to be the dads. So with that in mind for us to be the dads God desires and created us to be we need to be more like Him, our Heavenly Father.
- What comes to mind when you think of the word dad?
- What comes to mind when you think of the word father?
- Do you equate them to be the same thing or did you have a similar response to my friend?
- Did something happen in your life that broke the connection because you had a dad who wasn’t a father?
- Did something happen in your life that broke the connection because your dad wasn’t present and left you with your mom?
- Did something happen in your life that broke the connection and the trust because your dad didn’t act like or treat you like a father should?
- Do you realize the impact a father has on the lives of his kids?
- Do you realize that when we are the dads God created us to be it has a tremendously good impact on our kids?
- Do you realize that when we aren’t the dads God creates us to be it has a tremendously negative or bad impact on our kids?
- Do you realize the impact will be that our kids will want to be like us or nothing like us based on how we lived and treated them.
- So are you ready to be the dads God created us to be?
- Are you ready to be the dads who resemble our Heavenly Father?
- Are you wondering what that means?
- Are you wondering what that looks like?
- Are you wondering how it can be possible?
- Thankfully God gave us an instruction manual called the Bible.
- “God calls Himself Father.”
- “Some of our best lessons on how to be a good father come from observing God interact with His children through Scripture.“
- We see in today’s devotional how the qualities of our Heavenly Father will be shared with us over and through this 7-day devotional.
- Today’s theme or quality is that God is a good communicator! We need to grasp that and lean in and learn to be good communicators too.
- God spoke creation into existence
- God spoke to mankind, starting with Adam and continued through angels, dreams, and prophets.
- God spoke through Jesus
- God speaks through the Holy Spirit
- To be the dads like God is our Heavenly Father, we need to learn to communicate frequently!
- How are you with communicating?
- Are you feeling drained from busy days or work and have a hard time being able to communicate?
- Are you talked out after your busy day and not feeling energized enough to communicate with your family?
- Remember, to be the dads we need to put first things first and so we shouldn’t be using up 90% of our energy on our lower priorities. For me when I had the put first things first aha moment I came to the realization that my priorities (1) God, (2) Wife + Marriage, (3) Kids + Family, … that meant everything else started at (4). So that means we need to put the time and effort into (1), (2), (3) and then (4) and beyond would get the leftovers rather than the other way around.
- Instead of having little to say to our wives and kids, why not look for ways to engage them with questions about how their day was?
- Instead of looking to find a place to unwind and get away, why not look for ways to connect with and be with your wives and kids?
- Why? you may ask.
- Because they need our input.
- A dad’s words are powerful
- A dad’s words can can often define the course of a child’s entire life.
- A lack of words from dad can leave our kids lost and without direction.
- We need to be the dads who give our best words to our kids and our wives.
- We need to make sure the good words we speak don’t only go to our employees and coworkers but that the best ones are given to our kids and wives.
- We can’t be the dads if we are giving our family the leftovers.
- What was the last thing you said to your kids?
- Was it a command?
- Was it an expression of disapproval?
- Was it a proclamation of your love?
- Was it a proclamation of your admiration?
- Was it a statement of hope for them?
- Was it a statement of how proud you are of them?
- What if the last words you say to them was that?
- Is that the last thing you want them to remember or have in their head about you?
- Let’s be the dads who are like our Heavenly Father and be good communicators.
- Let’s pray to God for wisdom to know the words to speak, the words our kids need to hear
- Let’s pray to God for the boldness and the courage to speak them.
