“Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes…” (1 Kings 2:2-3) 

            Father’s, how many times have you failed your son?  How many times has your advice been less about him and more about your own pride?  Or how many times have your failures made you feel inadequate to give advice at all?  Of all that Scripture testifies about concerning David, Israel’s greatest king and “a man after God’s own heart”, it never claims his greatness as a father.  In fact, in many ways, David’s greatest afflictions were his children.  Those difficulties were often consequences of his sinful actions.  I imagine due to instances in which he strayed from God’s will, failing to trust in a given moment, at times David must have felt unworthy to offer his children advice.  Do you share that feeling?  If past failures cause you to question your right, but more importantly, your sons need for godly advice, be encouraged.  Be encouraged because though David shares many like experiences with you and me, he never stayed in the place where guilt kept him from doing what God would have him do.  And you don’t have to either.  

            “Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes…” As David aged and neared death, it was Solomon, his son who would be Israel’s next king.  In this passage, David sought to encourage Solomon as he prepared to assume the throne.  He knew that the challenges Solomon would face would require bravery, but he also knew that blessing would only come by faithful obedience to the LORD. 

            If in all the advice you’ve given your son, you have never given the advice David gave Solomon in this passage, know that it’s never too late.  Although he lived the consequences of his past failures, David always pressed on, understanding the completeness of both God’s forgiveness and faithfulness in spite of his own lack of both at given moments.  You may be living the consequences of your past failures as a father.  If so, accept them and start anew.  Don’t miss the opportunity to leave your son with the most valuable advice you can give him.  Your responsibility is not that he accepts it; Solomon didn’t heed all of David’s.  It’s only that you give it.  It doesn’t take a perfect father to instill Christian values in a son.  It takes a committed father who begins each day asking his Heavenly Father for help.  So, tell your son to be strong, to show himself a man, to keep the charge of the LORD and walk in His ways.  And when he does, tell him to expect God’s blessing because our Heavenly Father keeps all His promises.

 Prayer

Father, failure is part of being an earthly father.  I admit my many failures through the years and thank you that you have given forgiveness.  Help me LORD to understand as David did how faithful you are in keeping your promises.  Help me to seek to be in fellowship with you each day so that the counsel I give my son will be in accord with your will.  Thank you for your grace and goodness each day. 

“O Lord, why have you done evil to this people?  Why did you ever send me?” (Exodus 5:22) 

            Never think for a moment that God’s call on your life will be easy.  Moses’ call was anything but easy.  Though receptive and faithful to God’s call, it didn’t mean Moses never questioned it.  In fact, it happened almost immediately when the LORD told him he was to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt.  But God was gracious to reassure Moses of His power, provision and presence each step of the way.  So with those promises, Moses returned to Egypt, went to Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go”.  Enslaved for four hundred years, was freedom in sight?  Was Moses the man to lead the salvation the LORD would bring Israel?  Upon Moses’ request for freedom, Pharaoh not only responded negatively, but then ordered the work to be made even more difficult.  This brought a response of anger and complaint from the Hebrew people, questioning Moses ability to lead them.  In turn, Moses complained to the LORD and questioned Him.  

            “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people?  Why did you ever send me?”  The Hebrew translation for evil is “trouble”.  From the very outset of Moses carrying out God’s call on his life, he encountered uncertainty and then questioned God.  Have you ever done that?  When God calls you, do you hesitate?  And when that call is great and consequences are difficult, do you question Him?  We often do.  When God calls you and your life is radically changed, you can count on two things:  First, people will doubt you; second, there will come a time, perhaps many, in which you will doubt yourself.  As we read about Moses as he led the Hebrew people, we know this occurred more than once.  When God calls a man or a woman, Satan is always there throwing up obstacles, creating doubt in an attempt to paralyze each of us from being used to further the kingdom of God.  But do you know what?  God is also there and you can count on Him to remove that obstacle in furthering His glory.  His call always comes with His promise to be with us.  We know the Bible’s testimony of Moses is a great one (Deuteronomy 34:10).  He was a great leader; he was humble, obedient and faithful.  But he was also a man, with all the faults of mere men.  He had moments in which he questioned and doubted God along the way.  You may too, but trust God’s power and purpose for your life and remember that the LORD has sent you.     

Prayer

Father, you are a gracious and loving God in using me even when I am so full of doubt in my ability to carry out what you have called me to do.  Help me remember that it’s not my ability that matters, but your purpose and power.  Forgive me when I hesitate before obeying and when I disobey altogether.  Thank you for the testimony of Moses’ faithful and obedient service.  By your power help me to be faithful to the call you’ve place on my life.  Thank you for grace each day as I live that calling.  Amen!

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22) 

             Galatians 5:22 identifies godly attributes or “fruit” that results from the Holy Spirit working in the lives of believers.  Just as the maturity levels of Christians differ, the degree of fruit bearing varies as well.  It has always been apparent to me that my uncle Pete was a very loving man.  He enjoyed a good time and you could just sense his joy being around him.  As a kid, I remember never being able to get too comfortable when he was around because I didn’t know what prank he might pull next.  I was the target of quite a few.  Though more infrequent as a result of me living so far away as an adult, he still played pranks.  My son, Logan was often the targeted recipient.  I speak about my uncle in the past tense because a year ago today, June 5, 2011, the Lord called him home.

             “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control…”  Paul’s purpose in writing Galatians was to deal with the false idea that a believer’s right standing before God was Jesus plus circumcision.  Today, this manifests as Jesus plus something (good works, baptism, church membership, etc.).  The true gospel is that salvation is found in Christ alone.  In this specific section of his letter, Paul contrasted the works of the flesh, works that result from fallen humanity, to that which result from being led by the Holy Spirit. 

            As people streamed by during the visitation to offer their condolences, there were numerous expressions about the love and kindness Pete had shown them.  Just as living distance had lessened the pranks, distance had also kept me uninformed of these things.  I knew the attributes described in this passage existed in my uncle, but it was not always clear as to their source.  That was until I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears and felt it in my own heart.  Pete never claimed to be an Evangelist.  That’s not to say he shied away from conversations about the Lord.  I’m sure they occurred.  But what was evident to me from being at the visitation was that Pete lived out the implications of having Christ in his life.  Isn’t it the case that we testify more with our actions than with our lips simply because more people observe us than actually encounter us?  Make no mistake, there is plenty of room and need for both.  A godly testimony by our life often leads to an opportunity to testify with our lips.   

            Just as Pete himself was a gift in the lives of so many, the outpouring of love and expressions of gratitude for what he meant to others is a gift that the Lord left to those Pete loved the most.  Pete Leonard bore the fruit of the Spirit.  As with all Christians, some was seen and some wasn’t.  Let your life be filled with the Spirit of God that you may bear much fruit.  Don’t be concerned with how much is seen by others; just know that God sees it all.  He saw Pete’s and as He took him to his real home, where he will live forever, He allowed those that love Pete the most to have been blessed to see more than they might have imagined.  So though we love and miss him deeply, we know that it’s the Lord, the giver of all good gifts, we have to thank for having had Pete Leonard in our lives. Thank you God!   

 Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the testimony of other people in our lives.  Thank you for people who love, who have joy and who express so much kindness to those they come into contact with.  Soften our hearts to the work of your Spirit in each of our lives.  Help us to live in your power each day that we would bear much fruit.  Thank you mostly for the perfect gift that you have given us, your Son, Jesus Christ.  It is being “in Him” in which we receive our greatest blessings. Amen.