Fathering Well

Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. – (Ephesians 6:4, MSG)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. – (Ephesians 6:4, NLT)

 

I know that this is a tough topic for so many. Fathers are placed in our lives to fill such a significant role, yet without the grace and help of God, there is little chance of them measuring up to the expectation presented in the title alone. That being said, some of the best fathers that I know, did not have the most stellar examples in their own lives. God’s grace covered them as they grew, and He provided men of integrity to walk beside them and show them what it is to love well as a dad. There is no one who always gets it right, except our Heavenly Father, but the men who seek to lead their kids by the hand and show them by example, correcting and redirecting with love, are setting the standard for our future generations of fathers. May we celebrate the fathers we know, and encourage them as they help their kids grow.

 

Thank You, dear Father,

Despite what we’ve had;

You shall always be,

Our Heavenly Dad.

Thanks too for the men,

Who take by the hand;

Each child to love,

And shows them Your plan.

Not by being harsh,

Instead, they choose lead;

Lovingly guiding,

Direct to succeed.

Instruct with wisdom,

Discipline with grace;

Do all things in love,

So they seek Your face.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our ultimate Father. Thank You for the fathers that You have placed in our lives to teach us, grow us, and bless us. Forgive us for not recognizing and encouraging the fathers that are all around us, seeking to do things according to Your will. Teach us to have Your eyes to see and Your heart to bless and encourage our brothers who are seeking after You. Show us how to love well, all the people whom You place in our path. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for being the best Father of all, and praise You for the gift of fantastic fathers that You place in our lives and the lives of our children. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Listen… be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. – Proverbs 23:19

Capacity to Carry

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. – (Philippians 2:13, NLT)

Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases Him, and He gives you the power to do it. – (Philippians 2:13, ERV)

 

Our capacity to carry out God’s will for our lives on our own, is futile at best. Without the power of God at work in us, we wander off course, and end up seeking to please ourselves. However, when we seek the Lord, and invite Him to work within us, He grants us both the desire and the power, to do what is pleasing before Him. That is not to say that we will always get it right, or that we will never stumble and fall, yet when we are in sync with His heart, we get back up and keep moving in the direction to which we are called. May we seek the Lord and His ways, so that God will work in us, granting us the desire and power to do what pleases Him.

 

The God of all grace,

Is at work in you;

As we seek His face,

He makes our hearts new.

He grants us desire,

To walk in His way;

And His own power,

To rise and obey.

As we choose listen,

We make His heart glad;

What a joy to please,

Our Heavenly Dad.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You and invest our hearts in relationship with You, You work in us and grant us the desire and power to do what pleases You. Forgive us for not seeking or neglecting the direction to which You have called us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen and obey every word You say, as Your way is always best, despite our perception. Show us how to love those around us in a way that is pleasing to You, so that they sense Your heart through our words and deeds. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to work in us, so that we may gain the desire and power to do Your will. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. – Psalm 69:16

Rest for the Weary

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – (Matthew 11:28)

 

It is easy to get so busy and buried in our burdens, that we do not even realize our own weariness until it is unbearable. Yesterday, weariness snuck up and smacked me square in the head. Out of seemingly nowhere, narcolepsy was threatening to take over at the start of my sixth period class. I actually had to consume a cup of coffee, just to get through my final hour of teaching. Though the coffee was a band aid of sorts, I was alert enough to get through the remainder of the school day, go for a run, and then get home to prepare dinner. God was gracious, and supplied the strength needed to assist our boys with their homework. However, as soon as they were done, the makings of a migraine began to set in. Again, God provided His rest, as Super Spouse suggested I retire for the night. It was really early, but I did not argue. This morning, I woke well before my alarm, rested and ready for the day.

 

Though the blessing of a good night’s sleep is not the solution for all weariness, it was God’s provision of something that I needed. He knows what we need, and is willing to provide, if we come to Him and trust Him to take on our load. Sometimes, He utilizes those around us to be His hands, heart, and voice to deliver the direction necessary. My part is to remember to give the things that I am not meant to carry, to Him. His arms are far stronger than mine. He is willing and waiting, we need only come, and we will find rest in Him.

 

Come unto the Lord,

when weary and worn;

He’ll carry the load,

rest for the forlorn.

He’ll take our burdens,

into His strong hands;

He will provide rest,

our Heavenly Dad.

He will hold us up,

when we’re broken down;

He’ll grant us new life,

as in Him we’re found.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come to You when we are weary and burdened, and find rest in You. Thank You that You take our burdens upon Yourself and supply all that we need to stand strong in You. Thank You that You never grow weary nor burdened by us. Forgive us for trying to carry burdens that are not meant to be ours to carry, and help us to hand the heaviness to You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will bring our burdens to You the moment we recognize that they are before us. Grant us wisdom and strength to know what we are meant to carry and what we are not. Lead us to love others as You love us, and may we offer strength to the weary, and help point those who are searching, to the path that leads to a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified in all that we say and do. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

For the Lord your God will bless you, …and your joy will be complete. – Deuteronomy 16:15