A Father’s Role in Passing on the Christian Faith

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“There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:31

Father’s Day has just been, here in New Zealand. Yesterday, thousands of fathers like myself received gifts, and much treasured homemade cards and pictures, from our children and spouses. It is a day when people are thankful for the people God has put around them. For myself I am very blessed and grateful for my family. Thankful for the unexpected “Happy Father’s Day!” text from my eldest son who was on a camping trip, for the colourful picture of the family drawn by my daughter, and for the clever flag and boat gift wrapping my younger son made for the cup he gave me. We started the day with a delicious breakfast of pancakes made by the children with help from my lovely wife, and its not just my generation we celebrate on Father’s Day, my brothers and sisters and their families came for lunch, along with my parents, so that we could celebrate Grandpa on this day as well.

Father’s Day this year was a great time with family, but it had some sad moments too, as I remembered my children who have already passed on into glory. Tears came to my eyes as I heard the song about the dad whose daughter is getting married today. This songs always makes me think about what it would be like if my other little girl (who went home to Heaven many years ago now) was here. And, then the tears become a flood as I see the picture of my teenage son (who passed just over a year ago now) on the sideboard. There is sadness, yes, but there is also hope, because I know for certain that we will be reunited with these two loved ones beyond the veil. It is the separation of waiting that is hard.

Looking ahead to the future awakens a longing to see loved ones again, but I know the present time needs me now. As a father, my children who are here in this world with me need guidance, they need encouragement, they need an example – even an imperfect one. As parents, both fathers and mothers, we don’t need to be perfect to fill the vital role we play in the lives of our children, whether they are related by blood to us or not. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” When we read this proverb from the start we see that it is the moral education of the children which is being referred to here, and that this is the responsibility of parents. Some children don’t have their own parents to teach them about life and doing the right thing, these children need someone to step in and pick up that mantel for them. Maybe this is something you can do for a child near you?

God is gracious and he provides opportunities for people to come into his presence throughout their life, but the initial and primary way that God intends for children to learn about him is through the parents he gives them. Parents have the God-given role of passing on the knowledge of eternity to their children. The parents of a child set the first, and potentially most lasting and powerful example, of what Christian faith is. We can show our children how living for God is the ultimate purpose of every person on this earth, regardless of what that life looks like as a unique individual.

Sometime ago I was listening to a speaker called Jeff Benner and he pointed out that the Hebrew word for Father (אָב), originally meant “strength of the tent,” which in practical terms describes the “tent pole” holding the shelter up. Within this word the Hebrew letter א (aleph) represented an ox and the letter ב (vet) a tent. The resulting term “strength of the tent,” is a visual picture of the role of a parent. Tough times come to every family, and the job of a father is to help the family through it, sheltering them from the elements as best he can. Of course, I am not suggesting that a parent, whether father or mother, has to do this alone. In fact, here we return to the words of Moses, who reminded the Israelites that, when times were tough for them, God carried them through. Interestingly Moses illustrated God’s support for them, by comparing God’s actions to those of a father: “There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:31

References:

Benner, Jeff A. Father, “Ancient Hebrew Research Centre.” https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/definition/father.htm Accessed 7^th September, 2020.

Christensen, Duane L. Deuteronomy 1:1–21:9, WBC 6A; 2d; Accordance electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001. (p. 31.)

Craigie, Peter C. The Book of Deuteronomy, NICOT; Accordance electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976. (p. 103.)

Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1–17, NICOT; Accordance electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990. (p. 180.)