To Be a Father




Eph. 3:14 & 15, "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named"

What does it mean to be a father? To find this answer, we must turn to the source. For the Christian, all theology flows from two currents: the Trinity and the Incarnation. For this answer, God the Father is sufficient.

Within the Trinity, each Person is equal and fully God yet each Person is unique. The Father is the source of the Trinity. He is the locus of unity, peace, and love within the Trinity.

Among all things, that we can say a father should be, at the root of his role is one of unity for the family. It is his responsibility to be the one to prevent chaos and keep things united in love within the home.

Christian author Don Miller, writing on manhood says:
"I firmly believe that the job of a man is to bring peace into chaos. A man (and a woman too for that matter) can look into an empty field and see a house. He can look into a woman’s lonely heart and see how easily it could be loved. He can walk into a room and settle a group of wild children. Look at your life and ask yourself this question: Wherever I go, do I leave a trail of peace behind me? If not, then start practicing the art of ordering chaos right now. Is there chaos in your personal life? Clean it up. Is there chaos in your relationships? Clean them up. A man brings peace and order into chaos. You have what it takes to do this, I believe it firmly. You were designed to leave a wake of peace everywhere you go."
This is difficult. For me chaos is much easier. It's a lot easier to stir the pot rather than bring order. To be fathers, in the reflection of the true Father, we must be the source of safety, order, peace, and love for our families.
My bountiful God, I beseech Thee, listen to my humble prayer,. . . foster between us the spirit of understanding and of peace, that no strife, quarrel or misunderstanding, may arise between us.

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