Sunday, June 17, 2007

The Souls of Our Children Hang in the Balance

Several years ago, Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser observed Father’s Day in a most remarkable way. He purchased 1,600 copies of the Devotional Bible for Dads, at a cost of more than $60,000. He sent these Bibles to every baseball player and coach in the Major Leagues, to every PGA Tour golfer, and to every national and local sports broadcaster. Hershiser wanted to equip his fellow athletes and his friends in the press with the ultimate resource for fathers: the Bible.

Hershiser’s Father’s Day campaign was an admirable witness to his faith and to his conviction that fatherhood should be a God-focused activity. As we observe this Father’s Day, let us devote ourselves to sharing this conviction.

Fathers, your children are a gift from God. Through the greatness of his power and love, God has blessed you with your kids. He has given you the capacity to nurture your children, helping them to develop as persons loved by God. As fathers, we must never lose sight of this God-given nature of our role as parents.

As fathers, we must always be eager to search out God’s will in the things we do as parents. The image of God, the perfect picture of a loving father, should always be at the forefront of our mind. We should be people of God’s Word . . . reading, reflecting, and praying. And, we should facilitate the spiritual growth of our children in concert with their physical and emotional development. The very souls of our children hang in the balance.

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