Christian Foundations

DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE

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by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

2 Samuel 18:33
And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!

Bill McCartney, former head football coach at the University of Colorado, tells of a greeting card company that gave away free Mothers Day cards at a penitentiary. All an inmate had to do was sign and address the card. So great was the response, the greeting card company ran out of cards and had to rush back for several additional boxes.

The leaders of the company then decided to do the same thing for Fathers Day. Word was sent to the prisoners that the procedure would be the same. But this time, not a single person came to send his dad a Fathers Day card.

Think about that for a moment. As you probably realize, our prisons are overflowing with men and women who never had a normal, functioning father. Most inmates grew up in homes where the father had abandoned his family responsibilities.

King David was described as a man after Gods heart, but he did not pass this on to his son Absalom. In fact, there is every indication that King David had been too preoccupied with extending the kingdom of Israel to be involved in his sons life. It was only after Absalom was killed in a war against his father that the floodgate of the kings tears was opened. Then, of course, it was too late.

Leadership without relationship is emotional abandonment. Emotional abandonment leaves your kids open to premarital sex, cults, peer pressure, alcohol and drugs. As dads we need to remember: If your childrens emotional gas tanks are empty, they will fill them with something or someone else.

Prayer:

Ask God to enable you to emotionally connect with each of your children so that you can pass on standards and convictions.

Discuss: Are you frequently too tired or preoccupied to be emotionally involved with your children? Do you try to over-control your children, causing them to feel you are too authoritarian to be a gentle and loving parent?

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