Good morning, I pray you are well. I also pray that you had an opportunity to honor the fathers in your lives this past weekend. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12, New International Version).

It is a command with a promise. The Lord teaches us that when we honor our fathers and our mothers not only does God reward us with long life, which is what many often say. But they forget the last part of the verse that states that God will give you land. This was not just for the children of Israel but it is a promise that God gave to all generations. Some mother’s have had to step into the role of a father, so this does apply to you.

That said, as I was thinking of Father’s Day which just past. The Lord brought me to Job. Many do not equate Job to a devotion for Father’s Day, or even a message, but I hope I can draw you to a place of understanding just how vital it is to get every nugget you can from The Book of Job.

The bible tells us that Job was a man of integrity.. Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil, (Job 1:8).. Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason (Job, 2:3). In fact, not only did Job maintain his integrity while everything was good and things were wonderful. Despite the many attacks of the enemy to rob him of everything the word of God states that Job maintained his integrity. This was truly a man to be honored by his children.

But I want you to see what Job does not once but routinely. In The Book of Job 1:5 it states that Job after every round of banqueting was over (we could say a celebration or a party). Job would send for his children and purify them before the Lord. Moreover, one could say that he presented/consecrated them before the Lord and prayed and interceded for them for any sin that they might have committed, so that they too could be blameless and upright before the Lord. A father that is to be honored is a father who prays and intercedes for his children routinely. Job wanted to assure that his children were set apart for God.

Fathers, should intercede for their children. Job shows us here that we can go to God in prayer and plead for the salvation of our children so that God can remove the hardness from their hearts and take that heart of stone and turn it to a heart of flesh. Notice it is God who changes the heart not Job.

Fathers should intercede for each child. General prayers for all are good but remember that each child is unique and what you may pray for one child you may not need to pray for the other. Ask God what specifically should you pray for each child. For each revelation that you receive from the Lord for each of your children find a promise in the bible that you can connect it to when you pray. Remember to write it down. Make a list and pray regularly. As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5). When we pray it is the fruit of our lips that is a spiritual sacrifice. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.(Hebrews 13:15).

How thankful are father’s for their children? Are father’s following the example of Job and praying daily for their children? Presenting them and consecrating them before the Lord every day so that they may be set apart for God? Are you praying to God for their safety and protection and so that they may prosper? Do you pray for your child daily like Job because they are sinners in need of grace?

Father‘s should be careful not to position their children in such a way that they Idolize them instead of remembering what the word says that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This says “all” that includes our children. Job knew that and he would intercede and pray for God’s grace to be upon his children daily. Job understood what it meant to have a depraved mind and he understood that his children had the potential to sin. Father’s must not underestimate their children’s potential for sin.

While conversations change as children mature a father’s responsibility is always to guide their children in the truth in a loving manner. Sometimes that it includes correction, and discipline. It is much better for a father to discipline his children then for that child to come under the discipline of God.

Being a Godly father of integrity who is to be honored requires that you be responsible for guiding, correcting, disciplining, praying, interceding, presenting and consecrating your children everyday. Your responsibility does not change when they become an adult. The conversation may change but your responsibility remains the same.

If you are not already doing this then today is your opportunity to make a change. It is never too late, start today!

I pray that this blesses all the Fathers. Happy Belated Father’s Day!