Dr. Lawrence Butler

The Bridge Church, Pembroke

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Have you ever considered the meaning of the word heritage? It is something acquired or transferred from a predecessor. It is a legacy or an inheritance. Your children are passed to you in trust from the Lord. God gave you those children to bless you and to rear them for His glory. As parents we know the special feeling of holding our babies for the first time. I can’t say the emotions of motherhood have been my experience, but I certainly know the overwhelming joys of fatherhood.

One of the powerful emotions of being a father is deep concern for the safety and well-being of your child.

Fathers will often go to great lengths to protect their children, even to the point of death in order to save them.

Some of my most vivid memories are those of seeing 2 of my baby boys lying in the hospital nurseries fighting for life. We were given very little hope for our oldest son to survive, and there was no Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to help us at that time. He simply laid in the nursery and was made to cry continually so his lungs would not collapse and bring death.

A few short years later I watched as he was rolled away from me and into the operating room. He called out to me as he was leaving. I was helpless to do anything but watch and pray. I would have died for him that day if it was needed. I prayed many prayers for my boys and shed many tears.

This is what a deep-seated father’s love will do.

We have One who loves us just that deeply, and He did die for us because it was necessary. He saw us being overwhelmed by our sin, our lives ruined by drugs and alcohol, our marriages destroyed because of infidelity and our children learning so much about life but so little about Him. His death was necessary so we could live, not just living better in this world, but enjoying life in the next world. Jesus died to bring forgiveness and change into our hearts. He calls to you because He loves you. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

Be a good parent and fulfill the trust God placed in you by giving you children. Take them to church and be sure they gain a knowledge of the Lord God.