Parenthood

We're less than 24 hours away from welcoming our son into this world. One question we have been asked alot is, "Are y'all excited?" or, "Are y'all ready?" Or some derivation of those. My response has been, of course, "yes...and no" or more recently as the reality of it all hits me like a freight train, "I'm (we're) equal parts terrified and excited."

As we have discussed the topic of bringing a child into the world with many parents, that answer (terrified/excited) gets a knowing nod or "I know exactly what you mean." Of course, welcoming our son into this world, raising him, and teaching him about God and our role in life with respect to Him is an exciting, but serious, responsibility. The gravity of all it means to be a parent has hit Erin and me like a ton of bricks and we have discussed our plans for our son, and for ourselves as parents, at length many times.

When we think of our responsibilities, it can tend to be overwhelming; however, there is a great comfort we have that the world doesn't...we have God on our side because we're His children and He cares continually for us (1Pet.5:6-9). God watches over us, blesses us immensely, and provides instructions on how we are to treat this new life we will soon be holding in our arms. God has furnished us unto every good work (certainly raising a child qualifies as one of the best) and has given us all we need to fulfill our roles before Him in this life (2Pet.1:3; 2Tim.3:16-17).

Sadly, the world doesn't have this great comfort, they don't know the blessing of being a child of God, they don't possess the blessings only found by being one of His; friends, that's a tragedy. The father of the world is a murderous liar and deceiver (Jn.8:44), and they love to have it so! So many lost in sin, so many willfully -if even doing so ignorantly- are serving satan. They don't have the blessing of being in the loving family of God, God the Father who is the epitome of love (1Jn.4).

I can't imagine going into this new phase of life, with all the immense blessings and great challenges having a child will present, without having God's guidance and presence in my/our life. To willingly defy God, or to do so ignorantly, is to walk away from our Father, the very One who gives and sustains life!

So, realizing this, as a father and an adopted child of God, I must do everything I can to make sure I stay in a right relationship with God so that I don't deprive myself, or my family, of the great blessings only found with His faithful children. I have to step up in a very big way for the rest of my life because I'm leading my household to heaven and my mistakes can have major consequences. My failure to adhere to God's order will produce bad fruit, and who knows where it will lead.

My life must be one of purity, humility, faithfulness, and obedience to God; and when I fail God, I must be a man, get back up, and truly repent. While I will make mistakes, I must not fail to get back up and get my life straight before God and my family. This is the reality of my life and it has awakened me in ways I never knew existed, and I know there's more awakening of my senses and understanding to come.

As a father, I look to my perfect example of God as my Heavenly Father and know that by following Him I cannot fail. It's when I try to go about this my own way, straying from Him, that I will fail.

So does that mean I have it all figured out? Yeah...yeah I guess it does, in a sense. Here's what I am to do: follow God, pattern my role as a father after Him, follow the instructions He has given. There it is.

Now, the question that remains after such a simple explanation is, "If it's that simple, then where do we go wrong so many times as humans?" I believe the answer lies in our application and consistency when we learn the word of God. While we know "what" to do, so many times we fail to find out "how" and then follow-through with the cartying out of it. Oftentimes it's not a problem of not knowing, rather it's knowing but not doing. Because of my experience, I know that application and consistency are a problem; however, an even greater indicator aside from my own experience is what I've learned through my study of God's word. Through that study, I see God spending so much time in Scripture instructing His creation to apply what they were told and to stay consistent in that application. Think through the accounts of the Old Testament and how often God reminded His people of whom they were to obey and serve, His care for them, His will for them, and so much more. How often did God send men as deliverers for His people, prophets to warn them of what was to come and to repent, a law whereby they were to be true to Him and keep themselves pure. How often God guided them, but oh how many times they rejected!

When I consider God's care for those He would adopt as His own through their obedience through Christ, the very one they murdered, I can't help but hit my knees and thank God for His perfect love. This love He has shown to His creation, this creation who has chosen to reject Him so many times, is so pure and such a tender love, but it's one that also carries with it the promise of consequences should we fail to obey. God's love is both merciful and severe; merciful to those who obey, severe to those who disobey (Rom.11:22).

God's love is that which rewards obedience and punishes disobedience. My role as a father to my son is to be the same. If we don't have both aspects in our parenting then we don't love like God, we don't truly love our child, and we do not have true love. Knowing God's severity, the punishment that awaits us, if we disobey: we fear Him (in both senses, respect and trembling). Knowing God's mercy, tenderness, and compassion; His reward that awaits the faithful, if we will but obey: we love Him faithfully.

Yes, I have a healthy respect for my role as a father. Yes, I am very aware and sobered by the responsibility before me to raise him right (Eph.6:4; Deut.6). Yes, I feel inept as a man to do this job on my own without God's word to instruct me.

No, I don't fear my role as one who has no direction. No, I don't walk aimlessly about mourning my plight and fretting over the unknown. No, I cannot throw in the towel and fail my child, my family, or my God.

God has provided me with His perfect example; now I must man up, meet the challenge before me, and carry out the role I've been so graciously blessed with. I'm a Christian, I'm a husband, I'm a father! I'm excited! Love. Love for God, for my Savior Jesus Christ, for my wife, for my son, for my family, for others, for myself. This will carry me through, this will enable me to do as I've been told by God Himself through His word. I can do this, I will do this, I must do this. I can't afford to fail. I will stumble, I will fall at times, I will make mistakes...but it will be because I'm an imperfect man, not because my God is imperfect or somehow failed. My role is clear, the way is clear, now if I will but order my steps to meet the beautiful challenges ahead (Ps.19:14;  Ps.119:133-135). God grant me the strength!