Courageous

Courageous
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. 1st Corinthians 16:13
I read a story about a man who was driving down the highway with his family when he fell asleep at the wheel. As the car veered off the road the wife reached across and grabbed the steering wheel trying to get the vehicle back in the road. The man wakes up and tries to take the steering wheel back and they are fighting against each other trying desperately to get the vehicle back in the road. The man hollers at his wife and takes control back as the car is sliding across the pavement. The man slams on the brakes and as the vehicle is sliding it stops just feet away from a huge embankment and drop off. They are all sitting in the vehicle stunned and shocked and trying to catch their collective breath. The man looks in the back seat through the mirror and sees his little girl in tears. He apologizes over and over to his wife and child.
This scene plays itself out every day in our culture. Men all over our country are falling asleep at the wheel of life. We have abdicated our role, our position of authority, our influence, our position in life. We have listened to too many people who have told us we are screw ups, were not doing it right, someone else can do it better or whatever and we have gone to sleep at the wheel. Those who suffer the most because of it are our wife and children. No father is perfect. We are human beings and we make mistakes. Making mistakes isn’t a reason to go to sleep at the wheel. We must take responsibility for our life, our wife, our children and our jobs.
God has put us here for a very profound reason. Nobody can father my children but me. Nobody can grandfather my grandchildren but me. Nobody can love, cherish, protect and nurture my wife and children but me! Today I make a resolution much like Joshua made in Joshua 24:15. Joshua said, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!” My resolution today is this: I will take responsibility for my wife. I will love her, cherish her, protect her and lead her as the spiritual leader of my home. I will spend time with my kids. I will love them, train them and teach them the ways of the Lord! I will take dominion over the area God has given me to rule. By the grace of God, I will take responsibility to be the best husband and father that I can be! The enemy will not invade my family anymore without a fight! Not on my watch! God has given me the responsibility to lead, guide, love, teach and train my family! Thank you Lord!
Consumed by the call,
Pastor Marty