OC Bereans

                                                                                   “Family Dogpile” … circa 1989

Gentlemen,

Happy Father’s Day! … or as my son just reminded me … Papi’s Day … his nickname for me.

I trust that by the time you read this email, you will have already enjoyed a meaningful day celebrating your fatherhood with members of your family … if not in person, then maybe via a phone call or Skype.  Two passages of Scripture have been rolling around in my head most of the day, one from the Old Testament, the other from the New Testament.  Both relate to the necessity for us as fathers to pass along to the next generation a legacy of belief and trust in God.

1.  Moses reminded the Israelites on the eve of their entrance into the Promised Land:

“Hear, O Israel!  The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Now, notice WHY Moses repeats this instruction:

“so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged” (6:2).

2.  The Apostle Paul couples together recurring themes in his final correspondence to his young friend, Timothy:

“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.  For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you … You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 1:5-6a; 2:1-2).

My prayer for all of us as men and Dads is that we will grow daily in grace and Christ-likeness, so that our children and grandchildren will mimic us, too.

Looking forward to our time studying the Word of God Monday evening at 7 pm.  Rick M. is bringing the dessert, so show up early to enjoy that!

~ tr