Thursday, July 31, 2003
The Hoods of Man and Father
John from Sunday to Sunday forwarded this article to me from Touchstone Magazine. It is a striking examination of the current generation’s loss of touch with Christian manhood and ultimately Christian Fatherhood.
With the birth of my son looming and eminent as it is, I was forced to reflect upon my own state as a Christian man and father. I’ll spare you the details and keep this simple.
The first thing that came to mind was my own experience with my father. He is a beaming example to me of Christian fatherhood. He had his own struggles and faults as any man does, but overshadowed it all by his gracious love and deep desire to see me grow in godliness.
Two icons of my father are deeply embedded in my memory. As far back as I can remember my father would arise each morning as early as 3am to read his Bible and pray. He would be at this for sometimes hours deep in thought and prayer. I would often awake as a child and noticing the light coming down the hall way would slip out of bed to find my father hunched over his Bible in prayer. The habit has remained, even in my early 20’s returning home at the wee hours from “youthful frolic”; I would discover him in the same posture. Upon noticing my arrival he would say, “it’s kind of late don’t you think?” Finally, during my junior year of high school when I was particularly willful and rebellious he began a most annoying habit of coming into my room when he had finished his prayers, sit on my bed and begin praying quietly for me. After about three months of this occurring each morning, I awoke both physically and spiritually with a longing to return to the path from which I had strayed. I took hold of my father’s hand, a gesture to demonstrate the breaking of my strong will.
With my own son I have no hope of becoming such a great man and father, but by God’s grace. Basil has a wonderful grandfather awaiting his arrival!
John from Sunday to Sunday forwarded this article to me from Touchstone Magazine. It is a striking examination of the current generation’s loss of touch with Christian manhood and ultimately Christian Fatherhood.
With the birth of my son looming and eminent as it is, I was forced to reflect upon my own state as a Christian man and father. I’ll spare you the details and keep this simple.
The first thing that came to mind was my own experience with my father. He is a beaming example to me of Christian fatherhood. He had his own struggles and faults as any man does, but overshadowed it all by his gracious love and deep desire to see me grow in godliness.
Two icons of my father are deeply embedded in my memory. As far back as I can remember my father would arise each morning as early as 3am to read his Bible and pray. He would be at this for sometimes hours deep in thought and prayer. I would often awake as a child and noticing the light coming down the hall way would slip out of bed to find my father hunched over his Bible in prayer. The habit has remained, even in my early 20’s returning home at the wee hours from “youthful frolic”; I would discover him in the same posture. Upon noticing my arrival he would say, “it’s kind of late don’t you think?” Finally, during my junior year of high school when I was particularly willful and rebellious he began a most annoying habit of coming into my room when he had finished his prayers, sit on my bed and begin praying quietly for me. After about three months of this occurring each morning, I awoke both physically and spiritually with a longing to return to the path from which I had strayed. I took hold of my father’s hand, a gesture to demonstrate the breaking of my strong will.
With my own son I have no hope of becoming such a great man and father, but by God’s grace. Basil has a wonderful grandfather awaiting his arrival!
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