(Ephesians 5:25-29 ESV)
[4] Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4 ESV)
These passages are linked to the song by Sanctus Real . The song called Lead Me relates the desire of the husband and father to lead his wife and children well. To love them and protect,provide and lead them . It is a daunting task to contemplate . That God has called men to lead , to be he head of the family . In todays age with a growing dislike for a biblical understanding of gender roles and the outright rejection of marriage , it is a confusing time .
Plus with so many men refusing to grow up and become real men , acting like spoiled teenagers and women doing the same , putting off marriage and child bearing , the Church faces a hard task but one that needs to be done to honor God.
As I look at my life , as my boys turn into young men ,my wife and I enjoy almost 23 years being married , I can see many ups and downs . No question at times I lead in a way that was too legalistic . Not following the command to show grace and love. Then having spent 10 years drifting into what I call my dark ages , even though I still loved and would have given my life for them , I did not obey God's command. I have to admit that haunts me . I have asked God to forgive me and help me lead ,be strong for them . I hope I have .
In what coming years I have , my prayer is that God will help me lead them well. That the gospel will frame my life with them . My hope is to pray for them , to be there when they need me and serve them with the heart of Christ.
We need men to be men again and take these words very seriously . We need Churches to regain a masculine stand on issues about marriage and headship in both the home and church. This generation has been so pumped with anti-biblical view of marriage and sexuality , with homosexuality ,trans gender and every other form of deviant behavior as normal , that we must preach the truth in love . The passages above are so counter cultural and so needed, we need to show this fallen world the truth of what God wants us to mirror His call in the way men and women are to act and be.
We have a mandate to fulfill and Christianity is not for the faint of heart . So are you man enough ? You can be by asking God to lead you to be the husband and father your family needs . I hope and pray I can be .
1 comment:
Ephesians 5:25-29 has been showed to me by you, over and over again, in our marriage. It's not easy to be married to a woman with a seizure disorder. Many sacrifices you have made for me. Many memories with the boys, only you have because I was physically unable to go. The flume ride at Upper Clements sounded like fun. I miss going to the movies, especially the Drive in, as well. For all of that, you've never once made me feel disabled or a burden. When I was diagnosed with cancer, you were my primary caregiver. You kept my strength up to be able to continue working for 2 months longer than I should have been. You insisted to the doctor that I needed pain meds, long before I thought I did. You were right. But, they took away my appetite. The cancer closed my jaw up to a 4 mm opening. You patiently cooked and mushed and reheated many a meal for me. Trying to keep my weight up. When I finally got home, after the surgery, I was house bound and for many weeks unable to walk. So, you did for me. Fetched and carried everything. My whole body, not just my face, was disfigured and marred by the cancer. Yet, you made me feel beautiful. When you washed my hair, for the first time after almost a month, so scared that you might drown me because of my tracheotomy that hadn't healed over. Yet, I had no fear that you would. You had 8 weeks to fatten me back up, to be able to withstand the chemo and radiation. Before I even left the hospital you had to prepare my food and bring it in, because of my milk allergy that made me so sick and so skinny. Sweet potatoes, carrots and hamburger mushed up like baby food. Delicious, I think the serving was a 1/4 cup wasn't it? I felt like I'd had 3 plates of Christmas dinner and 2 pieces of pie for dessert. I remember going in for my consult with the chemo doctor. "Step on the scales, please," the nurse said. Telling the nurse that I weighed 91 lbs when I left the hospital. Her sliding the weights back and forth and saying, "123 lbs, that's impossible". Not with my Reggie, a perfect BMI. Trying to keep 2 scared teenage boys from breaking down at the thought of losing their Mom. Having to tell them their Mom has the same cancer your Mom died of and having to put on a brave face for them. Making the best Christmas ever, for us, and our extended families. But for the grace of God, it could have been my last. All while dealing with Jord's Type 1 diabetes. I never even knew he had any lows, that you dealt with in the middle of the night, saving our child's life. I couldn't have gotten up. It took me 2 weeks to be strong enough to walk out to the kitchen, with my walker. You know I love you with all my heart. I've forgiven you much, as you have me. More importantly God has forgiven you. Through this trial, I believe God put you through a test to show what your faith was really made of and what His strength could pull you through. Christians sometimes mouth the words, that they're utterly dependent on God. But, we know what that really means. Especially, when the sick leave money ran out. Yet, God laid it on people's hearts to give us the means to get through 2 months of winter with no income, except what He provided. Forgive yourself and move on. Otherwise, I believe you're playing right in to the devil's hands. "How could God forgive me, a sinner?" That is not from God. For He says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It is Grace, Reg. Grace literally means an undeserved gift from God. Yes, you've messed up. However, if you asked our boys and me you'd see what an amazing example of true headship you've patterned. Love you, Mrs Reg
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