Broad Shoulders
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
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.”
Well, I want to say I think the curse on the earth today is that we are facing a fatherless generation. And that is so serious.
We really need to take up our positions as fathers in the home. I want to qualify something right at the outset - We thank God for mothers! What would we do without Mom? But this is a directive to fathers.
Elijah the prophet, the hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and another prophet, John the Baptist (in the New Testament), clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, were both were called by God to call people to repentance - to call people to say sorry.
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”
Matthew 3:8
Dads, when you become a father you cannot continue to live the life of a bachelor. You have got to put your personal priorities aside and you have got to start living for your children and for your wife. You have got to take up your responsibilities of prophet, priest and king in your home. What does that mean?
Well, a prophet is one who directs you - He shows you the way... You have got to direct your family.
A priest: You have got to get up in the morning before anybody else and your children must see that you are spending time in the presence of God before you go to work. You have to read those Bible stories to the children before they go to bed... and king? Well, the king is the one who produces the food - You have got to put the food on the table.
You say: “I can’t get a job at the moment.” That’s okay, the family understands that but you really need to try. Remember your children won’t do what you tell them to do - They will do what you do. I looked up the word 'Holy'. It means morally and spiritually excellent. You and I need to lead from the front.
Now to the children. You have got to honour dad - Yes, you have. Commandment number five is the first commandment in the Bible with a promise added to it: "Honour your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land."
The biggest challenge we have at the moment is to teach men to be fathers in their home. It will make a difference, not only in your house but in the nation. Let us really love our children and may God bless you as you stand up to be counted. Remember, the Lord gave you the broad shoulders, not your wife. You must take responsibility.
God bless you and have a wonderful day.