Genesis 12:1-3
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
It's Father's day today and we just witnessed a touching service in Calvary. Ptr. Brian preached as a part of his series on the well of blessing about - The Father's blessing.
The preaching was based from Bill Glass' book and emphasizes the importance of the Father's blessing in each and everyone's life. For those lacking the presence of physical fathers, God is gracious to even provide substitutes on our behalf.
I felt the awesome presence of God during this time and it reaffirmed how vital the role of the church is on a person's spiritual growth and maturity.
It is surprising to note that a lot of people, even those who grew up with biological fathers, have yet to receive the approval, much more the blessings of their fathers in their lives. Our speaker noted that he first heard his father say "i love you" to him by the time was was 40!
At the end of the service, people who felt they missed out on their father's blessing were asked to go in front of the altar and were prayed for by fathers in the church. At lot of people came out. No eye was left dry. Not even mine.
What came in my mind during this time was I was blessed to have a dad who gave his blessing and approval to me. I will not be who I am today if not for my dad.
Dad, i love you. Thank you. Happy Fathers day.
related:
The Power of a Father's Blessing
You know Christian that very word of the Lord in Genesis 12:1-3 is my Word when I left the Philippines. But it took me three years before I obey the Lord. I was so stubborn not to obey the Word. I am very comfortable living in PI but all the more my problems grew bigger. If i still disobeyed the Lord for another year, my Uncle who always sends me a round-trip ticket here in America was diagnosed of a colon cancer. God's timing is always perfect. I had the chance to thank my dad's brother who is like my dad too, spoiling me of imported things and so with a RT ticket to LA (him and my dad were very bestfriends, after dad died he acted as our dad). That Word really came to me and God is true to His promises.
ReplyDeletewow!!! that's great to hear bro... are you staying there for good? God bless!!!!
ReplyDeletei was not close to my papa. but i held him and kissed him during his last few days on earth, sang songs to his ears, recited verses, prayed... and while death took away the possibility of having those things to happen again (and grief still revisits me, oh i miss him!), those moments of grace will forever be treasured in my heart (http://marikitt.multiply.com/journal/item/37). yes, indeed, there were substitute fathers along the way. biologic fathers or not, they still fail us. oh, but my heart rejoices knowing that i have a Father in heaven whose love never fails! this is a very important truth that i always emphasize when i do seminars to christian schools/churches on understanding child abuse. we have to make a very clear distinction between our earthly father and our heavenly Father especially when we tell kids that our earthly papa loves us just as our Father in heaven loves us. (there are abusive fathers, stepfathers, uncles, ninong, etc.) good theology: to tell kids that our earthly papa or tatay or ama or uncle or tito's love will still fail us but our papa in heaven loves us with no end or will never, never fail us. blessed be, christian! thanks for this post...
ReplyDeleteHappy Father's Day... DADDY!!! :P
ReplyDeleteamen!
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this bro! [may i have your sermon notes? =) ]
you'd be surprised! =(
ReplyDelete