Fathers - Comfort from Strength

As Father's Day approaches, I will occasionally post an excerpt from my book, The Image of a Father. You can buy an autographed copy from me for only $5 plus shipping by clicking here.

This excerpt is entitlted, "Comfort from Strength."

Fear of the unknown surrounds the young; strange shapes in the darkness, creepy sounds in the night, slithering creatures under the bed or in the closet. They all work together to make little hands clench the sheets and yank them over their heads until the dawn of the next day. Even the worries of the world—political unrest, wars, street crime, and kidnappings—can deeply disturb young minds. They hear the news and imagine the troubles sneaking into their own homes; they magnify the dangers, exaggerating them, having no experience to discern the real risks.

As Christian fathers we realize there is no need for fear. We agree with King David, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). We know that our heavenly Father is a God of comfort as the apostle Paul so clearly taught. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3, 4).

From this passage, we learn without a doubt that we’re to reflect God’s comforting ways, passing his comfort on to our children. It is through knowing God, experiencing his comfort through our own trials, remembering his mercies when we wondered about the future, seeing his mighty works when we could not see how the days of trouble would end, that we have the confidence to stand now without fear.

Our children don’t have that luxury. They may not have seen a mighty God march to your rescue like the commander of a great army to save you from a dangerous predicament. Perhaps they weren’t there when God’s healing hand touched a friend of yours and brought him back from the brink of death. With few exceptions, they’ve never faced a fierce enemy and experienced deliverance from his evil intent. But if you’ve been a Christian for more than a few years, especially if you’ve done mission work on the gospel frontiers, then you have been there. You have seen God’s powerful hand move to thwart your enemies. You have felt his loving arms wrap around you in the midst of alarm. You have heard of his mighty deeds from brothers and sisters all over the world who have escaped the wiles of Satan, the crafty liar who would seek to stop the spread of the gospel.

As those who have seen and heard the works of God, we have experienced his comforting touch. It’s our duty, therefore, to extend that comfort to our little ones, so they, too, may feel the warm blanket of protection when they suffer the chill of the unknown.

Whether or not monsters really stalk our children from the dark corners of their rooms, tales of God’s protection will help them stare down the murky shadows, and they’ll sleep, heads uncovered, in blissful confidence and peace.

So what stories do we tell? What kind of tale would help our children see the light of God’s protection even in the darkest of times, such as what the Israelites experienced in Old Testament times? They were able to recount the horrible plagues God used to smash the pride of the Egyptian monarch, the parting of a sea that threatened to hem them in against the thundering chariots and the points of sharpened spears, and the conquering of terrifying giants who occupied the fruitful land God had promised. What could compare to those stories of awesome might?

At our home we receive mission magazines, and we delight in reading the stories of our dedicated missionaries in foreign and often dangerous countries. Whether at the dinner table or during our evening devotions, I enjoy watching the wide eyes of the younger children as we recount the dangers, even near-fatal encounters, from which God has rescued countless numbers of his servants.

Of course there are times when God chooses to allow some of his faithful ones to go home to heaven, but even then we emphasize that they’ve gone to a place of comfort, reaching the end of their earthly ministry as faithful soldiers of Christ. We can even rejoice with them. How great is the joy to die in the midst of service to God! Even stories like these bring comfort as the children picture a powerful angel escorting a martyr into a joyous “Welcome Home” celebration.

Along with sharing the stories of others, I frequently sprinkle in my own recollections. Some of God’s works in my life are quite impressive, and I enjoy glorifying the Lord by sharing those situations with my children. And it doesn’t hurt to tell them the same story more than once, for the effects it has on their hearts changes over the years as each child matures in wisdom and understanding. Stories that may seem “small,” God’s little mercies on a day-to-day basis, help our children see God’s intimate care, that he is not just concerned about the big issues—war, disease, and parting seas—but he truly does care for us more than the sparrows he counts in the fields. I tell them about the near miss on the highway, about how a stranger hailed me and gave me the wallet I had just dropped, and about an edifying e-mail from a Christian friend. I also encourage them to tell me about their activities, so we try to identify the events in which we can see God’s protection and resulting comfort.

Sometimes stories of faraway lands and recollections of times long past may not soothe a child who senses a closer, more present danger. Perhaps he’s experiencing a situation no story can address. Although you may unsuccessfully rack your brain to come up with a memory that parallels his troubling circumstance, there’s still a way to help your child find comfort. We don’t have to rely on a specific event God has already handled; we can rely on the immovable foundation of God’s character, the unsearchable depths of his wisdom, and the inestimable reach of his power. Simply put, there’s nothing God can’t handle, and this simple message brings comfort to almost any child. But there is one caveat—you have to live like you believe it; and I’ll explore that issue in a future post.