As we celebrate this day set aside for honoring fathers remember it is from
our heavenly Father that all love and goodness comes. Therefore, let's
praise and honor Him with our whole beings this day.

Concerning our earthly father Scripture says,
"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a
 reward." Psalm 127:3
We are bombarded with the words and wisdom of an ungodly world, but we
have the wisdom of God available at all times as is clearly stated in
James 1:5-6  (Do read it.)

With this in mind, let's turn our thoughts to our children and the fierce
battle that rages daily for their very souls. They are God's gift and He
has some things to say to us as parents concerning our rearing of
them. (Grandparents, aunts, uncles and members of the family of God
included!)

God has given us special parental duties as found in Scripture:
To teach:
In Deuteronomy 6 is the commandment to teach the Law, verse 7 says,
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down,
and when you rise up."

To train:
"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
As to this training I would suggest that much time be invested in Proverbs,
especially 1:8 through 9:18 as these chapters seem to be directed to
teaching the youth (I might add the youth of all ages!)

To provide for:
In the Apostle Paul's concern not to be a financial burden, he says this in
2 Corinthians 12:14,
"...For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents
for the children."

To nurture:
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in
the chastening and admonitions of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

To control:
Among the qualification the Apostle Paul gives to Timothy for bishops he
says,
"He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children
under control with all dignity." 1 Timothy 3:4
Again, for deacons in respect to his household, Paul says,
"Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good manages of their
children and their own households." Verse 12

To love:
Paul writing to Titus while he is in Crete, tells him 'to set in order the
things that are lacking',
"That they (the older women) admonish the young women to love their
husbands, to love their children." Titus 2:4 (My parenthesis)
In this day with so many divorces and with mothers (fathers, too) opting out
of their responsibilities, this is sound doctrine. Encouragement and support
from the church family can be just the help needed for emotionally and
physically taxed parents.

As members of God's family let us continually pray for His covering on our
children. We can't be with them every moment, but we can continually keep
them in prayer. We can be available to them teaching and nurturing them in
the ways of Christ, daring to discipline (child train) them, provide for
their spiritual and physical needs and above all else LOVE them with the
unconditional love of Christ. Though there will be rough times, remember
Proverbs 22:6! It is God's word, therefore, it is truth.

We thank you Father for Your Word, for Your wisdom, for Your strength
and for Your counsel all in Christ Jesus and made known to us by Your Holy
Spirit. All praise and glory to You Almighty God! Amen.