Monday prayer & verses (15 02 2010)

Thought for the day

Who is a father?

A father is a person who is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic. He growls when he feels good and laughs very loud when he is scared half-to-death.

A father never feels entirely worthy of the worship in a child's eyes. He is never quite the hero his daughter thinks. Never quite the man his son believes him to be. And this worries him sometimes. (So he works too hard to try to smooth the rough places in the road of those of his own who will follow him.)

A father is a person who goes to war sometimes...and would run the other way except that war is part of an important job in his life (which is making the world better for his child than it has been for him).

Fathers grow older faster than other people, because they, in other wars, have to stand at the train station and wave goodbye to the uniform that climbs on board.

And, while mothers cry where it shows, fathers stand and beam...outside...and die inside.

Fathers are men who give daughters away to other men who aren't nearly good enough, so that they can have children that are smarter than anybody's.

Fathers fight dragons almost daily. They hurry away from the breakfast table off to the arena, which is sometimes called an office or a workshop. There they tackle the dragon with three heads: Weariness, Works, and Monotony. And they never quite win the fight, but they never give up.

Knights in shining armor; fathers in shiny trousers. There's little difference as they march away each workday.

And when Father passes away, and after a good rest, he won't just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he's loved and the children she bore. He'll be busy there too...repairing the stars, oiling the gates, improving the streets, smoothing the way.

"Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father." (Prov. 17:6)

Verses

Hebrews 11:6

Now it is impossible to please God without faith, since anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and rewards those who try to find him.

Luke 6:17-19

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

John 14:24

He that does not love me neglects my words. Yet the word you hear is not my own but that of the Father who sent me.

Mark 11:24

For this reason I say to you, Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it.

Joshua 1:7

Just be determined, be confident; and make sure that you obey the whole Law that my servant Moses gave you. Do not neglect any part of it and you will succeed wherever you go.

Prayer

Father, it is beyond our grasp to physically, spiritually, and materially provide for all the needs of our household apart from Your infinite provision for us. We are able to equip our household with that which protects them from danger, both physically and spiritually, as we obey Your Scriptural principles. Give us strength for today and a bright expectation for tomorrow so that we are fully prepared and ready for that which we cannot yet see. We walk in faith and obedience to You. It is in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.