FROM SON TO FATHER: A MESSAGE TO FATHERS AND THE WORLD AT LARGE
MY FATHER IS AN ABSENTEE
"Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."
-- 1 Samuel 2:22
Let's start with my observation. As a teacher and a young minister of God, I have had the privilege to interact with many young people with respect to parents. The attempt to find out the where about of their fathers and the relationship that exists between them and their fathers, it has shown that either the father is not home or he is home but no close relationship.
Indeed, it appears the input of fathers are so minute that it is almost ignored by many. We all attest to the fact that fathers day is not as important to many as mothers day. Is it the nature of man to leave home after impregnating a woman, like, excuse my language, some animals do? Is there any factor that explains why fathers seem to be irresponsible? Are there not ill effects of the father's absence from home?
To address the above questions, let's understand the position given to man and how dear it is to God for a father to have an uncompromising relationship with their sons.
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
-- Malachi 4:6
The closing verse of the old testament shows that God is very concerned about Father son relationship. God went to the extent of saying he would punish the earth should this relationship is taken lightly. Sons, listen, God wants you to be in good terms with your father. In Ephesians 6 we see the command clearly and the promise attached to it: Honor your father and your mother, for this is the first commandment with a promise, that you may live long on earth. The opposite is also true, that is should one dishonor his father he shortens his own life. Now the relationship between fathers and their children becomes a bedrock of God's relationship between Him and us (the works of His hands). If the foundation is wrong, all efforts of getting the creation back to God will be in vain.
Now let's come back to the absentism of fathers. Touching on what causes fathers to leave home we might not be able to exhaust them, so we will consider only one according to Solomon's writing:
"It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house."
-- Proverbs 21:9
From the verse below it suggests that the failure of a wife to handle her household issues can make her husband leave home.
What happens when husbands leave home or stay aloof?
The opening verse talks about the disorder in Eli's family. The first shock with that passage is that in the midst of the chaos, mother was not mentioned. This suggests that fathers are held responsible for everything that happens in the family wether good or evil. For that matter they have the responsibility to ensure that the right thing is done. Eli said to his children in v23 "I hear...", my question is where was Eli and he didn't see for himself but had to be told. The problem in a family setting begins when the father does not see and by the time he realizes the damage has already happened.
As the scripture says the eyes of the God go through all the earth (2Chronicles 16:9) so should the eyes of the father be fixed on matters of his house.
I wish to use this opportunity to celebrate all fathers. We know your responsibilities are great but greater is the God who has appointed you for such.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY! WE LOVE YOU MENNN.
By Cephas Godson
