Asleep

If I want to get pumped up as a father or husband, there is a particular passage in Luke that I go to.  It’s a description of John the Baptist’s ministry.  It reads:

“And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.  It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16,17)

I  love this passage.  It’s just not what you would expect John the Baptist to be about.  If you’re like me, you’ve always thought of John as kind of a rough guy, who ate bugs and honey and preached to people that they should repent.   And it’s true . . . he did these things.  But this passage also reveals that John had a targeted audience.  An audience of men.   God desires to have an obedient  people who are ready for Him, and one of the main players in preparing His people are men (fathers in this passage).  This is totally mind boggling.  John’s ministry could have easily been directed at changing pastors, governors, kings or even mothers.  But instead he goes after the men.  Why?  Because from the beginning, God has set things up where men are to be the leaders.  Win the man,  and you’ll win the women and children.  Why?  Because God ordained it to be so.  If this truth is embraced, one should expect fruitful consequences to follow.   This is God’s will for His people.

But we live in a world where this truth is not celebrated, and this should be expected of the world . . . but not of the Church of Christ.

Men, our wives and children need us.  We have been placed in their lives to be a picture of Christ.  There is much to be said about this topic, but I don’t know how to say it. Instead, our family made a video that portrays what it looks like when I, as a father and husband refuse to lead my family.  Sadly, there are still times when I am too lazy or sluggish to lead as I should.  Praise God for His kindness to remind me of His love for me and the grace to repent and change.  And above all, I rejoice in His forgiveness through the blood of Jesus.  It is only through His forgiveness that I am not overcome by my failures as a man.  As I said at the beginning of this post, John’s ministry “pumps me up”.   So instead of being chained by my weaknesses, by God’s grace (found in Jesus) I anticipate even greater growth in days, months and years to come.

Warning:  This video has scenes that might be frightening to young children.  Parental guidance is advised.

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