Fathers Give Good Gifts

Luke 11:10-12 Good News Translation (GNT) For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks.Would any of you who are fathers give your son a snake when he asks for fish?¹² Or would you give him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?

 

This weekend I get to enjoy the cabin and property.  The lake is calm.  My wife and I took a long cruise and ate on the drive-in bar and grill over at Arrowhead.  The temp is good.  The grass is green and looks great after cutting this morning.  An acre of woods is actually fun to cut if you like to do donuts through the trees.

 

Years of weekends have been spent rebuilding the house floors and walls and roof and thinning trees and building native stone patios.  The electric car and boat and outbuilding and hammocks and bb gun and other amenities make it a fun place for the kids to come and hang out.  Some day their children's children's children will be playing here and talking excitedly about riding a go-cart or killing some harmless snake or catching a lizard or flying high on a tree swing.

 

One of my brothers commented how our dad had a similar vision.   He bought some property and set to work.   We would go pick blueberries and blackberries along the side of the road.  It never reached the place where we could do anything but work.  He sold it.  This spot is a little bit of his heart lived out.

 

Fathers have goodness in their heart.  They have dreams for their children.  Not all the dreams happen.  Not all the happenings are good. Evil can interrupt.  Tragedy can take away resource.  But the goodness is there to be given.

 

Many of the men that have fathered into me are still alive.  In fact, most are still alive.  One of those men is Dr. Herman Reece.  He has fathered into many in different ways.  For me, it has taken the shape of small group studies in his home with other couples.  Over 15 years ago, my wife and I participated in a small group "Living Proof" bible study with Dr. Herman and his wife.  Those weeks stirred up and confirmed and affirmed some decisions we had made and continue to make about reaching others for Christ.  Herman fathered it.  He taught, nurtured, and continues to speak affirmation.  It is a gift that keeps giving through the lives of my children as they walk the same way in reaching others.

 

Thanks, Herman.  A little bit of your dream lives on in me and my children.

 

Action:  Fathering is not a one time act.  For a moment, I want to speak to the men.  You don't have to be a biological dad to father goodness.  Seriously consider a long term action plan for taking of a dream that is inside you and sharing it with another generation.

 

Prayer:  Father, I am blessed.  My friend, Evotion, is blessed.  You have set goodness and giving the heart of men to be fathers in our world through having dreams, living them, and passing them on for others to enjoy as children.  Continue.  Turn the hearts of fathers to the children for whom they have been called.  We need it.  Our nation needs it.  Our families need it.

 

Phil Larson
405-388-8037
508 Tumbleweed Dr.
Yukon, Ok 73099

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