The chaos and downward spiral of our current society can be attributed to the absence of fathers or father figures. Fathers are representatives of God on earth; as our heavenly father is the giver of life so also are the earthly fathers givers of life. Unfortunately these life givers are absent and missing in today’s world and the adverse effects are evident in the lives of the children. Fathers are created to guide, direct, nurture and protect the home, but once that has been taken away, it gives room for the enemy to attack and destabilize the home, which results in a destabilized society.
Malachi 4:6 says “And he will turn, the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” God understands the importance of a father’s love and care towards their children and He has set the standard by being the first example of a loving father. For a society to be healed the fathers’ hearts must be turned to their children, they must come back home and fill the void their absence has left. Some father’s are at home but not present; work, finance, material needs and other contributing factors have taken priority over having a heart to heart relationship with their children.
Five Responsibilities of a Godly Father
- The father gives his family his name. Name here represents identity and purpose.
- A father must set the standard of what the children must be and how they must live. He provides character and value system for the family. He must lead by example and make his children emulate him.
- A father creates a loving and secure atmosphere at home. The climate in a home determines the behaviors, personalities and outcome of that family.
- A Godly father leaves an inheritance for his children. He must not be self-centered, his goal must be to protect and preserve his children’s future. “But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.” 1 Timothy 5:8 NLT
- A father gives equal and unconditional love to his children.
Pastor George Irabor