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Daddy, Daddy, Where Are You?
"Tonight in America, about 40% of kids will go to sleep in homes where their fathers do not live." (Current thoughts and Trends, September 1998)
Just six years ago, people were scoffing and mocking our Vice President because he was making an issue out of the fatherless home, but today even the politicians and even the news media are taking notices to an ever increasing need to put fathers back into the home. I guess I should restate that by saying we need real, morally good fathers in the home (No woman nor child needs a no good bum who is nothing more than a male house jerk, at home or anywhere else. Today's need is for fathers to be "real" men and "real" fathers.)
David Blandenhorn, author of Fatherless American has ample documentation "that the absence of a resident biological father contributes in a major way to the rising rates of child poverty and abuse, teen pregnancy, failure in school, use of drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence against women." Our society and nation are paying a big price for the social criticism of the last three decades of family life, marriage and fatherhood.
But not only society is paying a price for the downfall of fatherhood, the church is also. Today we have a large number of young adults, Generation X, that neither have a concept of fatherhood nor of what is a loving father. When the Church speaks about the love of a Heavenly Father, Generation X replies, "Huh?" "For God so loved the world" is a complete foreign idea to a person who has never had or known a "loving father."
I point out the problem only to come to this simple point. The family of God must lead the way in educating America what home, marriage, family, and fatherhood is!
Within every church there are mothers and fathers who need to standup and take the responsibility of creating a real home. Husbands must become husbands as instructed in the Bible, wives must become wives, fathers must become fathers, and homes must become a "real home" for children.
It's time to put off the worldly notion that everyone has rights and that he or she is entitled to "do their own thing." It's time the adults in America started living up to adult responsibilities, which means we surrender those self-centered rights when we chose to become parents. With parenthood came certain responsibilities that parents are duty driven to fulfill. Duty driven responsibilities like providing a safe, secure, loving and encouraging home for children. A home - not a four or five bedroom house - But, a "home" where godly morals are taught and practiced. A home where parents sacrifice their own "needs" for the betterment of the child. Parenthood brings the duty driven responsibility to make a home where priceless things like love, time, and wisdom are shared and where creating and learning are encouraged.
America has a wakeup call from her children. Husbands and wives have a duty to be loyal and faithful to one another and to teach their children that commitments, from paying their bills to keeping their marriage vows, are important. America must learn again that family is important and a loving family is truly greater than gold!
Children of God, we must lead the way! One man said, "How do you move a mountain? One shovel at a time!" We must accept and fulfill these responsibilities within our Christian homes. And! With the power of Prayer and by God's grace, we can change the tide.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (Also read Eph. 5)
Pastor Jim
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