A Word for Husbands and Fathers - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:12-13

A Word for Husbands and Fathers
If the husband is not enjoying this fellowship with our heavenly father, how is he going to give it to his wife and to his children? But how good it is when we walk with the Lord. Our spouses and our children will see it, and they will be strengthened and made safe by it. It is so important to be in constant communion with our Heavenly Father. How blessed we are when we walk in the good of that fellowship with the Lord and our children see it and are blessed.

When we are walking with the Lord and we err, if we confess it to the Lord and after that to our children, they will see us and will not think poorly of dad; in fact, they may think, "Wow, what a man that he would do that!" Let me ask you, men, as leaders and examples in the home, can you, when there is a problem and you have erred, go to your wife or your child and confess to them your error, asking them to forgive you? We can if we are walking with the Lord. Note, if we were in constant communion, the sin would not have occurred in the first place. The remedy is to first ask the Lord to forgive—vertical cleansing—then go to your spouse or child and confess and ask for forgiveness—horizontal cleansing. Then fellowship and communion with the Lord and the family will be restored.

This act is teaching them that even dad is accountable to God and what a godly attitude will do in the course of maintaining fellowship in the home, both with the Lord and with each other. Additionally, we need to make a practice of associating ourselves and our family with the Lord and with his people. Our associations matter: they affect us, our family, our home, and most of all our walk with the Lord.

Tim Hadley, Sr.