The Lost Art Of Fatherhood

The MOST HIGH our GOD is our FATHER. HIS NAMES, character and descriptions show this.

This generation does not understand fatherhood. Fueled by Satan, Jezebels and Ahabs, individualism and unachievable, temporary, utopian ideals, the human race races on hell bent on destroying the male identity and removing the authority of the father.

When one talks about fatherhood physically, we are talking about men. It is men who are fathers. It is men who are the source of life. Attempts have been made to rob men of this part of their nature. Sadly, these attempts are sometimes successful leading to serious breakdowns in the community at large traceable to problematic fatherhood and fathering.

Let us take lessons from The CREATOR on fatherhood. We know that men are fathers. Remember and note that we are made in the image of GOD. So, what do fathers do?

(i) Fathers create. They can create any kind of atmosphere they choose. GOD our FATHER created the heavens and the earth from formlessness, emptiness and darkness into what we can see and what we cannot see.

(ii) Fathers hover over things. Genesis 1:2. This means they think about things, they have good plans for their children and their world and they bring a balance to their environment. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that GOD thinks good thoughts about His children and has good plans for them. One of the definitions of hover is to balance. Fathers balance things. Fathers either bring a balance or an imbalance into this world and the lives of their children and those around them. Ask fatherless children of whatever age, the devastation felt is unimaginable. In a nutshell, fathers plan and bring balance into worlds. The absence of fathers brings imbalance and shakiness. This is not a good state of affairs, so much so that The MOST HIGH HIMSELF steps in and declares that HE is the FATHER of the fatherless. Why would the MOST HIGH do this? Because HE understands the gravity of the situation and the horror of what fatherlessness can do. So, if you are a father or better still if you intend to be a father, have a plan, bring balance and step in as a father to a fatherless person.

(iii) Fathers are light bringers especially in dark times. The MOST HIGH in Psalm 27 is described as “my Light and my Salvation”. A father brings light into the lives of his children and not darkness. Genesis 1:3. A father is able to distinguish between what is acceptable and unacceptable and is able to communicate this simply and clearly to his children and his environment. But how will a father do this if he himself is in darkness? It is necessary that any father, any man first of all connect with The FATHER of creation and use the standards set by HIM to determine thoughts, actions and legacy.

(iv) Fathers separate issues. Genesis 1: 5-10. They know what is above them, what is beyond them, what they can handle and what is beneath them. They know the place and role of GOD, HIS kingdom and servants, the earthly government, set ups and society, their families where they were born, the families they create and their children. Fathers know how to select great mothers for their children knowing that good children bring honor to their fathers and grief to their mothers. Sadly, the art of wife choosing is rarely practiced today due to so called modern way of living. A father knows that the woman he chooses will be the mother of his child and the ruler of his environment.

(v) Fathers are orderly; they keep things where they are supposed to be. Not just physical things. Just like GOD, gathered the waters in one place and dry land appeared (Genesis 1:9), when a man organizes his world, his thoughts, his activities, in The FATHER, a dry place to stand will appear. So, man, organize your mind, organize your body, fix your thoughts, think properly and control yourself, the dry land upon which to stand will appear. GOD is not the author of confusion. Go to HIM, ask HIM for peace, ask HIM to visit your watery, formless life and give you a dry place to stand on. HE is faithful, HE will do it. And after that, you be faithful, follow HIS ways and the dry land on which to walk will always be before you.

Fathers also divide things and activities for their children. There are things permitted for the day and things permitted for the night and things not permitted at all. Yes, there is a bed time and curfew; there is a waking up time. There are rules. We just don’t do as we please. We don’t operate in chaos and confusion.

(vi) Fathers bring forth according to what is in themselves. Genesis 1:11-12. Here, where I come from , there are certain sayings; to name a few; the child of a snake is a snake; as the stick is bent so the tree grows, the apple does not fall far from the tree. You will beget what is in you. Yes, Fathers create in their image. Genesis 1:26