This post is a prayer… a prophetic declaration over Dads this Father’s Day.
In the movie of the Lord of the Rings: the Dark Lord Sauron sends his army to destroy the city of men. The general of the Orc army makes an interesting (untrue) declaration.
“The age of men is over… the age of the Orc has come”
I want to use this structure to make a somewhat ironic, hopeful statement… that I pray becomes continually true.
The age of the disengaged parent is over… The age of the Engaged Dad has come!
Two quick disclaimers:
1. I have 3 pretty loving Dads… that I have lost time with due to a series of circumstances and emotional traumas. I HONOR them each today because they are worthy of honor.
John, Mark, and Jon. I love you. Happy Father’s Day!
2. Mothers I honor you as well… you have a tendency to be more engaged with your children… I honor that in you…and pray that your children’s father continues to… or does step up to love them and support you
Everywhere I look today I see Dads loving on their kids. In the Community of Christ this should be normal… it isn’t always.
God is a Father… and when His Holy Spirit inhabits dads… it should have a profound impact on the world around them.
My prayer that this would only become more true…. When Dads step up to inhabit their role… when they step up to Join the mothers in nurture… when they change diapers, feed bottles, and rock their babies to sleep:
When they speak life, love, and yes even discipline:
The world changes.
This morning when my heavenly father woke me up he reminded me of the last night before Jesus died on the cross (see below)
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”
John 13:1, 3-5, 12-16 ESV
This is a reminder that in the Kingdom of God… being the leader.. means being the servant.1 Dads…. Don’t use your authority to Lord it over your kids…. Use it to serve them, to love them, to teach them right from wrong.
Husbands, boyfriends, fiancées….. serve your significant others. Don’t let them do this alone… your children need you… so much. Your children look up to you… so much. It’s insane how much kids love their dads.
Their hearts are already turned towards you naturally…. I implore you to turn your hearts to them. Don’t let another day go by without loving them… without serving them….without being near to them.
If their hearts have turned away… do what you can to win them back… get on your knees… beg your Heavenly Father for the hearts of your kids.
The fate of the world rests on it:
“And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.””
Malachi 4:6 ESV
Footnotes
1. “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Matthew 23:11 ESV
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