God Expects Us to be a Father
ICS Daily Devotions
Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Today, we live in a fatherless generation where many people lack a strong father figure at home because their fathers are absent. 50% of marriages worldwide end in divorce, and if fathers believe that their business or career is their top priority, they will likely think they have done enough for their children by providing for them financially and don’t spend time addressing other aspects of their needs. What they don’t realise is that children have emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs, in addition to their physiological needs.
Christians are called to be the salt of the world. Salt acts as a preservative to prevent food from rotting. Therefore, fathers in the church must differ from those in the world. Believers’ values should follow this order of priority: God, family, and career. When these values are in the correct order, it becomes much easier to make informed decisions and recognise the non-negotiables when specific opportunities arise.
The role of the father is the second role assigned to a man after that of a husband. These two roles were given to Adam before God asked him to manage the Garden of Eden. It was family first, followed by work. God commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply to fill the earth. This means God doesn’t want us to stop at one child, but to have as many children as possible. Thereafter, He asked them to have dominion over all that He had created. This means work comes after starting a family and fatherhood. The current decline in the global birth rate is not God’s will, but is partially due to people being too busy with their work.
Unfortunately, after the fall of mankind, men have identified themselves with work to prove their worth before God. The root of rejection that began in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were expelled, was passed down through the generations. Cain sought to gain God’s acceptance and approval through the produce of his labour, whereas Abel responded to God’s instructions by offering an unblemished animal to God. God was pleased with Abel and accepted his offering.
Today, mankind seeks approval, validation, and affirmation from men based on their work in the business and corporate world. Many have forgotten the importance of the family, accepting living apart from their spouse and children to pursue their careers. That is individualism, and they will miss out on a significant portion of their children’s developmental years, causing them to be detached from them due to the lack of bonding.
As Christians, we should set our priorities correctly. The proper order is to worship God, start a family—including becoming a father—and carry out the work that God has entrusted to us. This is the order that God has established for us.
Sermon Series: Dads for Life
