God – Gospel Minutes for Everyday Missionaries

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“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” – Psalm 103:13 (ESV)

Fatherhood is rough; parenting in general is rough. Children try our patience, they test our resolve, and they melt our hearts. We can go from disciplining or chastening a child to laughing and playing in a mere matter of hours. Often, we hear the expression, “Life is a roller coaster.” However, with children it is a roller coaster that twists, has turns, goes upside down, and travels at the speed of sound. Needless to say, being a dad is a tough task.

In Psalm 103:13, David compares the compassion that God shows to those who fear Him with that of a father toward his children. I was struck by this statement! How often do I show compassion to my children? Does my compassion look like God’s? Who am I reflecting? So many thoughts came rushing to the forefront of my mind. As a father who follows Jesus, I always make it my goal to show my children the way that God has changed my heart. It is my desire that I would give my children a small picture of my heavenly Father’s heart.

Earlier in this same Psalm, in verses 8-10, David lists attributes that signal the Lord’s compassion. He is merciful and gracious, is slow to anger, does not keep that anger forever, and does not repay our iniquities. In this Psalm, we see the example of how God shows His compassion to those who fear Him. This is what God’s compassion looks like. He sent his Son to pay our debt, to live perfectly the way that we never were able to live, and to make a way for us to become His children. All this was done for us when we were at our lowest point (Romans 5:8).

In the midst of COVID-19 and the usual busyness that comes with life in general, it is easy for me to lose sight of the important things. I can become so wrapped up in the things that I have going on that I neglect to consider the ways that I am engaging with my children. David tells us that God is full of mercy and grace and that He is slow to anger. However, many times I am quick to anger and lack much mercy and grace. In other words, there are times that I am a horrible reflection of the Lord to my children and wife.

I think that one of the greatest responsibilities that is bestowed upon men is spiritual leadership. We are called to love our wives the way that Christ loves His church (Eph. 5:25), and we are to raise our children to serve the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Our job is to reflect our heavenly Father to our families. Leading our families, serving them like Christ, and showing them the same compassion that the Lord shows us—this is our greatest responsibility.

My challenge to you this week is to join me in starting fresh! Apologize, pray, seek forgiveness, and start doing fatherhood differently. Show your children, your wife, and the world around you compassion. Spend time in the Word with your Father in heaven. Spend time in the Word as a family. Ask questions about what your children and wife need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. By doing these things, we can reflect Jesus to our families and the world around us.

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By Bill Naron

This last Sunday, Pastor Steve preached on the topic of ambition from the book of Joshua. This was a great sermon, and if you have not had a chance to check it out, then click here. In Joshua 14:10, Caleb makes the statement that the Lord had kept him alive for the last 45 years. Then in verse 11, he makes the following statement: “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.”

Upon reflection, I see the boldness of this statement from Caleb. At this point Caleb is 85, and when Moses sent him out, he was 40. In my limited understanding of things, I assume that Caleb is talking about physical strength. As we read through the battles that Caleb fought following this statement, physical strength is part of it. However, I do not think that is the whole picture. He was a God-fearing man and desired to see the will of God accomplished.

In addition to the physical aspect, there is a spiritual aspect to this statement as well. Caleb and this story were not just included in the pages of God’s Word for nothing. The benefit for us as believers today is to see a man of God ambitiously chase the will of God. Caleb saw what God had promised him, and he knew what God wanted to do for the children of Israel. Therefore, he was ready and determined to chase after that promise.

There is a poem by C. T. Studd that I absolutely love, called “Only One Life.” Every stanza of this poem ends with this phrase: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past / Only what’s done for Christ will last.” When I was listening to Pastor Steve talk about having godly ambition the same as Caleb, I thought of this poem. It made me think about the ambition that I have in my own life. I ask myself whether the things that I ambitiously chase are for myself or God.

The strength required to accomplish the purposes of God is spiritual. Caleb lived his life ambitiously chasing after the promises and purposes of God. Ultimately, the things that are done for Christ are the only lasting things that matter. All of us must find ways to cultivate spiritual growth in our lives through consistent time with Jesus. This will help ensure that we have the spiritual strength to be people of godly ambition.

Caleb’s story is included in Joshua for us to learn what it means to have godly ambition. So my challenge to Elim, and what I myself am processing through, is to ask, “Do I have godly ambition? What is my household doing to fulfill the purpose of God? What is Elim doing to fulfill the purpose of God?”

Elim is in a time of transition, and as a church it is important that every individual, every family, and the congregation as a whole wrestle with these thoughts. We are wrestling through what vision of ministry the Lord would have for Elim in the Transition Team. However, this is not something that can only happen at the Transition Team meetings, but this is a conversation that includes everyone. It is my prayer that Elim would find a leader with godly ambition and that we would be a body of ambitious believers who strive to see the purposes of God accomplished.

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Tag: God

Compassionate Fatherhood

Chasing after God with Ambition