This blog will be celebrating father’s Day for the entire week. It is important that we spend some time to focus on our men to strengthen and stimulate them into becoming a better father, husband and a man of God.

Today my son asked me why it was mostly men dying since the year began on our island. The sad news that one of his schoolmates (male) had recently died triggered this question.

Indeed, since the start of the year several young men had died from motor vehicle accidents. I believe that the enemy is targeting men to steal, kill and destroy them. He knows that they are the foundation of the family, and when he destroys the foundation, the family and society will collapse.

However, God has revealed to his servants and prophets the secret plots of the enemy. We need to disrupt and eliminate the plans of the enemy. We must restore the men to their original position in God – a man of power and authority.

It is, therefore, appropriate that we refer to the life of Abraham has an example for our fathers to emulate. God gave him the title of ‘Father of all Nations’ because of his obedience and total trust in God.

The Lord said to Abram,

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to a land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1).

Abraham was told to leave his country, people and family and move to an unknown land. Only the Lord knew where this land was.

Even though Abraham was not privy to the location of this area he trusted God, and he moved from his familiar environment where all his family and friends were to the unfamiliar.

Abraham was able to trust God because he had a relationship with him. Some people think that Abraham worshipped idols because he was living in a pagan country – Ur of the Chaldean – but it was not so. Abraham was a direct descendant of Shem, one of Noah’s sons.

After the flood, Noah built a vineyard and planted grapes. After the harvest, he made wine with the grapes and became drunk and fell asleep naked in his bed.

Ham, one of his son, went into his father’s room and saw him sleeping naked. Instead of covering his dad he left him in his nakedness and shame and told his brothers about it. His two brothers were so distraught by this news that they went into their father’s room backwards so that they could not see his nakedness and covered him with a sheet. They respected and honored their father.

After Noah awoke and heard of his children actions towards him, he blessed Shem and Japheth and cursed Ham. He told Shem that God will bless his descendant and the descendants of Ham will be his servants. Therefore, Shem’s descendants followed in the footsteps of their father serving the true and living God. (Genesis 9:18-29; Genesis 11:10-32). Abraham was a seed of Shem, so he was familiar with God. Therefore, when God told him to move to a strange land he believed in God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

The Lord told Abraham that when he obeyed Him and moved to this strange land, He will make him a great nation and his name will be great. The Lord further told him that he will bless those who bless him and cursed those who curse him, and through Abraham all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12: 1-3).

Note carefully that the Lord said that all the families of the earth would be blessed. Hence, no one is excluded. The Lord poured an enormous responsibility on Abraham simply because he obeyed and moved. Do not underestimate the power of change because great blessings are involved.

God is the everlasting Father and Creator of the heavens and the earth, but He gave Abraham a secondary title of Father to men on earth. God knew that people on earth throughout the generations would need Abraham’s covering and blessings.

I am thus encouraging all fathers to make your life a covering and blessing to your children. May God grant you the courage and strength to do this.

Additional references: Genesis 6 -11; Genesis 12- 25.

MOVE!

Belief without evidence!

Trust without signs!

Hope without knowledge.

Your familiar and intimate God commanded, “Move.”

Go without wavering!

To the unfamiliar;

To the unknown.

Total dependence!

Complete trust!

Steadfast obedience;

Countless blessings.

Unexpected obstacles await.

Trials must not be a deterrent;

For diversion will bring forth plagues and tempest.

Out of Egypt, you must depart;

For the mission is not yet complete.

Onward you go;

From strength to strength

To a land of untold bounty;

And to a city whose builder and maker is God – your Jehovah Jireh. Beverley Wright (September 12, 2012)

Fathers, make your life a covering and blessing to your children.