SCRIP-BITS

Exodus 20:12.   Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

​HAPPY  FATHER’S  DAY!

Well a Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers out there, be you good, bad or indifferent! (smile) Yes, today is the day we spend celebrating that wonderful and godly gift called Fatherhood. And no, it’s not as big as the day we spend celebrating Motherhood, because the world tends to see Motherhood in a somewhat better light than Fatherhood. Therefore Mother’s Day seems to have a bigger impact on both our psyche and our active involvement than Father’s Day. 

And though fathers’ traditional role of bread-winner and ruler of the roost might have changed some, with more working mothers and more irresponsible and absentee fathers than ever before, they are still an important part of our society. (smile) But more on all of that later, because it’s Sunday and we’re going to the sanctuary to participate in faithful and exultant worship to the GREATEST FATHER there is…our heavenly Father! 

And that’s why our song of praise today is the popular Christian hymn ‘This is My Father’s World,’ written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock around the end of the 19th century. According to the website ‘God Tube’ when Babcock lived in upstate New York, in Lockport, ‘he would take strolls along the Niagara Escarpment to savour the overlook’s scenic view of upstate New York surroundings and Lake Ontario, telling his wife he was “going out to see the Father’s world.” 

The central theme of the hymn is joy and appreciation for the beauty of our natural world.’ So let’s sing it like we really mean it nuh, like we really enjoy the beauty of nature that our heavenly Father has created for our enjoyment and pleasure! Let the enthusiasm, sweet harmony and true exaltation just gush out of us on this Father’s Day. 

Altogether now: ‘This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas– His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father’s world: The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker’s praise. 

This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair; In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father’s world: O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father’s world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad! 

I have a Father, a glorious father, He reigns in power and in LOVE, We have a Father, our glorious Father, Creator, King and God. This is my Father’s world: O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father’s world!’ 

It certainly is my fellow saints in Christ! He made it, and He looks after it! Why do you think that the birds sing their songs of praise, and the morning light and lily white declare His praise eh? And so should we humans, His most wonderful creation! Just listen to these touching words nuh: ‘In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere!’ That’s the gospel truth friends! In every aspect of nature we can view our great heavenly Father…if we would just slow down and take the time to smell the roses! 

And even more important are these immortal words: ‘O let me ne’er forget That though wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet!’ That’s for certain sure my people! Therefore why should our hearts be sad eh? ‘The Lord is king. So let the heavens ring! God reigns!’ That’s something we oftimes forget; ‘So let the earth be glad, because we have a Father, a glorious Father who reigns in power and in LOVE!’ Truer words were never spoken friends! 

But what we also have to take into account my brethren is that the Lord delegated a lot of His power here on earth to the earthly Fathers, and consequently they are required to lead us in His sovereign will, and we are also required to show them the respect demanded of that high and godly office. Parents are His earthly representatives. 

And the Lord taught it so important that He made it a part of His rules for godly living; the Ten Commandments: ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ As always, our God says it simply and straightforward. Our fathers and mothers are the two most important people in our lives, after Him, of course. And regardless of if they are bad, good, or indifferent, it is our job to honour and revere them. 

And as Bruh Paul says later on to the Ephesians: ‘it is the first commandment with promise.’ (Eph.6:2b). That means it’s the first injunction given that has a promise attached to it; honouring and obeying parents ensures a long and prosperous life. Now, unfortunately, as our society gets less and less godly, the honouring and obeying of parents is also becoming less practiced, and a lot of us are even cursing and smiting them too. 

And the dishonouring and disobeying is especially true of fathers, many of whom, for whatever reason, are never around or don’t take any active part in their children’s lives. Remember friends, parents, especially fathers are supposed to bring up children with the word of God richly ingrained in them, starting from very young. 

So if many fathers aren’t around, or are around and don’t do it, then this exacting and rather important job is either going to fall by the wayside, or the poor mother will be forced to take it on, in addition to her many other rearing duties. That’s a lot for any parent to handle, hence the waywardness and ungodliness of so many of today’s youth. 

Ah friends, as the most important part of our society, the family crumbles, the godly commands also fall by the wayside. But we won’t give up, because that’s not in the Christian vocabulary. Instead, we’ll keep trying to push parents and children to be better, beginning with these warnings from the Lord a long, long time ago, re, honouring parents. He that smites or curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death. (Ex.21:15,17) That just goes to show how important God thought parents were. 

And a couple more admonishments from Bruh Paul: ‘Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right….And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (training) and admonition of the Lord.’ (Eph.6:1,4) Yes friends, children ought to obey their parents when instructed to do anything that’s in God’s will, and fathers need to use their authority wisely, giving them proper spiritual training, as well as teaching them their responsibilities and duties. 

Let’s hope and pray that this Father’s Day will bring some recalcitrant fathers and children to the place where they see and acknowledge God’s Word and His awesome desire for their lives. Have a blessed and happy Father’s Day! Much LOVE!

…fear (revere) every man…his mother…and his father…and keep my Sabbaths…I am the Lord your God… (Lev.19:3)