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UNION GROVE CHURCH OF CHRIST, CLEVELAND TN.
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"HAST THOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB?"Those are words which Jehovah spoke to Satan (Job 1:8). God went on to tell him that Job was unique, complete, upright, feared God, and was one that shunned evil. That is quite a commendation from the One Who knows every single thing that there is to know about a person.Most Bible students are quite familiar with the tragic circumstances that beset Job and his family. Job's steadfastness/ patience has been renowned worldwide throughout the ages. But I want to point out three things about Job as a father, and these things are seen before his children and livestock were taken from him. As a father, Job showed his children that his first devotion was to God Almighty, not material stuff. Possessing thousands of head of livestock helped make Job "the greatest of all the men of the east" (Job 1:3). Yet, as we noted above, the Lord God still referred to Job as "my servant" (Job 1:8). Job did not allow his stuff to crowd out, hinder, or diminish his devotion to the God of heaven. Dads, what do your kids see as your number one commitment: stuff, or God? Believe me, they can tell what is what without you saying a word! As a father, Job recognized that his children made mistakes. Job offered burnt offerings on behalf of his grown children, saying, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts" (Job 1:5). There are some fathers who never seem to have anything good to say about their kids, and they seldom, if ever, give them any support and positive exhortation. On the other hand, some dads are blind. They are convinced that their "little Mary" and "Billy, Jr." could never do anything wrong, ever. They would never be deceptive, never be selfish, never be disrespectful. Yeah, right. There are a bunch of great kids in the world, but none are perfect. Dads need to accept the truth that all sin (Romans 3:23). Job admitted that about his own kids. As a father, Job showed his concern for the spiritual welfare of his kids. It was on their behalf that he rose up early and offered burnt offerings to God. Don't you know that it makes a child, regardless of whether he is five or fifty, swell up with delight and pride to hear and see that his daddy is doing something for his spiritual benefit?! Dads, there is more to being a dad than putting food on the table and showing a kid how to hit, throw, or kick a ball. The number one task of fathers is to bring up their kids in the Lord's nurture and admonition (Ephesians 6:4). We will always remember Job's endurance. But, let's not forget what the Bible also shows us about him as a father before disaster struck his life. Dads, are we listening? -- Roger D. Campbell |
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