Tuesday, June 15, 2021

The Psalmist David compares God’s compassion for Christ-followers to a father’s compassion on their children.

Psalm 103:13  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.  (NIV)

What a challenge faces parents — especially fathers — as the responsibility for the home rests upon them!  What tone is proper in the raising of children?  It must reflect restraint:  not too harsh and not too lenient.  God likens Himself to a father in Scripture . . . and there men can find a model for parenting!

God remembers that His children of the faith are “but dust” and daily struggle with the frailties of being human. In that example, fathers get a picture of when to punish and when to encourage.  The word “fear” refers to a respect appropriate to a father, and to a certain extent — fear — that certain actions will have consequences.  But, it is not a servile, groveling kind of fear.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™