Welcome!
Today: The father connection!
Passage: Eph 3, Prov 26
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Eph 3, NIV 84)
The price that Christ Jesus paid to get us freedom and confidence to approach the father was so much. “Father God” is a term that brings a “relationship” to our mind. But the very term “Father” can sometimes sent wrong signals to a child who has/had a bad father!
I was listening to a message on the radio where the preacher was mentioning about a bad experience he had, speaking about “God the father” during a service in a prison. Some of them could not just take it!
In God, we see all the qualities of a good father. There are many homes where the father is absent physically, and many, where they are absent emotionally and spiritually. The father is the (!?) priest/prophet of the house
We got some of these titles….husband/father/wife/mother,….and so on
I was reading about two types of males in a book – “Honest to God? Becoming an authentic Christian” by Bill Hybels :
The “macho male” and the “emasculated male”
The “macho males” are those who act like there is too much of a man in them; at home, work or anywhere, they struggle to establish their leadership, sometimes even by going the wrong way- some even go drinking and do all sorts of things. They struggle to manitain their “muscles” everywhere and assume the lead roles!
The emasculate men on the other hand, are men who never assume any role or resposibility-soft, feminized versions of men, who don’t take responsibility.
The Bible encourages us for neither of these, but something in between these two extremes- to just act like men(1 Corinthians 16:13-14,NIV 84);neither too much men like the “macho males” or too little, like the “emasculated” males!
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
We need abundant grace from God, to be the right person whom God wants us to be. We may think we are good in our responsibilities as a husband/wife/ father/mother, but we are not. We may not be doing the right things, as God’s children either. We (may) have a long way to go…..to become the “right” me!
In God, we find a loving, caring father who guides us, leads us, provides and protects us. We better maintain that “father connection” very well
Let us run to Him with freedom and confidence, as frequently as we can!
Have a blessed week end!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I need your grace to assume the right position at home/work/church and evrywhere else I have to be. Please help me to do/be just what you want me to be. Makle me a blessing to others. Amen
Proverbs 27 (verses below, from NIV 84)
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.