A Father Who Dared to Care
Heb 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
THE ILLINOIS BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY reported that the volume of long-distance calls made on Father’s Day is growing faster than the number on Mother’s Day. The company apologized for the delay in compiling the statistics, but explained that extra billing of calls to fathers slowed things down. Most of them were “collect” calls.
Fathers seem to take a bum rap when June rolls around. It is even said that the official flower for Father’s Day is the dandelion, because the more it is trampled upon, the better it grows.
Dad may not get the billing and attention that mom gets, and perhaps that is understandable, given the amount of time that a child spends with his/her mother, but father is irreplaceable. His influence is beyond measure. Our prisons are filled with men who did not have a father (or at least a loving one) as a part of their lives while growing up. But for those who did, the benefits are incalculable. Here is a case in point.
A young successful attorney said, “The greatest gift I ever received was one I got one Christmas when my dad gave me a small box. Inside was a note that read, “Son, this year I will give you 365 hours, an hour every day after dinner. It’s yours. We’ll talk about what you want to talk about. We’ll go where you want to go, play what you want to play. It will be your hour!”
“My dad not only kept his promise,” he said, “but every year he renewed it---and it’s the greatest gift I ever had in my entire life. I am the result of his time.”
I wonder how many others would say “Amen” to this man’s estimation of his father’s commitment. After all is said and done, perhaps the greatest gift to our children is TIME. It’s an investment that will pay great dividends in the future.
So, come on dads, get up off the couch, put the paper down, come on in from your projects, give your children your undivided attention. If you do, someday they will rise up and call you “blessed.”
Did you know that everyday during the school year, millions of children return to empty, locked houses after school? Their called “latchkey” kids becaus4e they have a key on a chain around their necks.
Our children need fathers who care!
There are babies who are found in dumpsters, children who are abandoned, children who are sold for profit, children who are sexually, physically, and emotionally abused.
Our children need fathers who care!
Noah was a father who dared to care. A brief look at his life substantiates this.
1. NOAH LISTENED TO GOD
The Lord warned him of impending judgement. He had seen the wickedness of humanity and was about to drastically punish them for their sin.
But God remembered Noah and forewarned him. Why? Genesis 6:9 gives us the answer. It was because Noah was a righteous man. He walked with God. They were on close terms. God never forgets His own.
Not only did God warn Noah, but He went on to tell him what to do to escape. And then He gave him the privilege of warning others.
That’s the Gospel in brief:
(1) judgment for sin is certain
(2) deliverance is offered and provided—enter the
Ark (Christ) of safety
(3) Tell others about this wonderful offer
God gives us warnings today. Are we listening? Warnings come to us through the Word of God, through adversity and tragedy, and through the testimony of others.
2. NOAH: A MAN OF ACTION
As a result of being warned by God, Noah was “moved with fear.” In others words, he believed God.
And Noah’s fear moved him to action. He saw death and destruction coming for his family. He then set out to save his family.
The flood waters of immorality, greed, selfishness and violence are rising all about us. We can’t control their destinies, but we can instill right principles in our children which will build character.
“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a time of great moral crisis, maintain their own neutrality.”
Dante
By faith, Noah built an ark to save his family. Dr. James Dobson in his book, Straight Talk to Men and Their Wives, has a chapter entitled, “A Man and His Ultimate Priority.” He agrees with Noah.
A dad’s number one responsibility is to evangelize his own children. There is no higher calling on the face of the earth!
3. NOAH BUILT THE ARK
We must build spiritual arks to save our families. What are the basic ingredients in our spiritual arks?
- right relationships with God
- right relationships with others
- concern for those who are outside the Ark
Here’s another way to say it. Our children need to see five loves in our lives, dads. They need to know that we…
- love our God intensely
- love our wife completely
- love them dearly
- love other Christians genuinely
- love the lost compassionately
The wise father is the one who has learned to conform to God’s role for them. Noah was such a person.
- Provider (meets his families needs)
- Protector (guards them against all enemies)
- Priest (prays for them sincerely)
- Prophet (shares the Word with them)
- Professor (teaches them the ways of God)
Noah dared to care for his family. God calls us to do the same.
