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Heart~2~Heart
Pastor Lynda MacDonald, Nova
Scotia
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THE
KING IS IN HIS CASTLE
Or Is He?
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“Happy Father’s Day –Dads!”
Most
homes have a dad. He plays a dual role of
both father and husband. The first relationship that God created was that of
husband and wife. The second was that of fatherhood. Adam was placed in charge
of his family. He was caregiver.
This
month honors fathers. In the natural, a father is the male leader of the home.
His job description is to reproduce and care for those offspring. He works to
provide physically and walks with God to provide spiritually. One without the
other is lop-sided.
In
May’s article, I wrote about how I see the Biblical role of wife and husband. I
want to re-visit that theme focusing on the father who is the main player in
this serious game of life.
I
think of the popular saying “a man’s home is his castle”. That has 2 meanings.
It means that it is his place of residency and his domain of rule. A king has a
kingdom that is ruled from his castle.
I
would like to paint a picture I believe comes from the Biblical perspective of
the father’s role in the home. This is the castle that is owned by the
KING-God!
A
wonderful scripture is found in Ephesians 5:25, “As for husbands, love your
wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself
up on its behalf.”
To
further complete the picture we need to also connect this scripture with the 28th
verse, “This is how husbands ought to love their wives - like their own bodies;
for the man who loves his wife loves himself.”
Is
the picture complete? Not yet. Verses 29-30 finish the teaching by Paul, “Why,
no one ever hated his own flesh! On the contrary, he feeds it well and takes
care of it, just as the Messiah does the Messianic Community, because we are
parts of his Body.”
So
–in the castle (owned by God) lives the man who loves his own wife like he
loves himself. He is to tend and care for the needs of his wife just as he
meets the needs his own body has. Scripture outlines this fuller by laying out
the ways he does this.
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1. He
feeds her well. (In meeting the mental, physical and spiritual needs her body
requires)
2. He
takes care of her (Tending to her every need like a caregiver would)
Now
that we have a God pattern for a husband’s job description, let’s see how that
fits into the Father’s Day theme.
A
close friend of ours quotes this modern proverb often-“if Mamma ain’t happy
–ain’t nobody happy.” This is actually true. The mother’s role is to make a
safe, loving, peaceful home where the whole family is nurtured and healthy. How
she is able to accomplish this has many variable factors. One basic factor is
her completeness as a wife. The husband who treats his wife like himself will
have a partner who is his “other half” the part that makes him complete. Since
this is God’s order of the home –it has to work.
So-
the father comes home to his castle – the home that God has provided for him.
He brings the provisions needed to make his family strong and healthy. He gives
of himself in the castle just as “Messiah gave himself for the Body”. The end
result is a husband/father who is respected, honored and trusted.
I
know that this is in an ideal situation but we are taught in scripture that
this is God’s design so even with flawed relationships; it is still the perfect
plan to follow.
The
last time I was in Israel, I had the privilege of observing a Jewish family as
they met together to have the Sabbath evening meal.
I
would love to share that wonderful evening with you to aid in what I am writing
about. These were imperfect people, a family, who gathered together in an
awesome manner. –And I might add- on a weekly basis no matter how busy they
were.
Even
in the setting of the hotel dining room, it was like they were a family unit in
their home observing the ancient Sabbath family gathering.
The
husband/father spoke the blessing over the bread, broke it apart into 2 pieces
and passed it around. This was the signal that dinner was to begin. They ate
and laughed and shared in conversation -3 generations of people enjoying each
other. They inquired after the events of the past week –“How did that job
interview go?” “Did that contract finalize ok?” They interacted with each other
in a show of genuine care.
After
the food was eaten, the father prayed –giving thanks to God for His provisions.
(Our KING provides for His family)Deuteronomy
8:10, ““When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD
your God for the good land he has given you.”
After
this “grace”, the father rose and stood over his wife. Placing his hands on her
head, he prayed giving thanks for her –a gift from God and ended with a
blessing for her reading from Proverbs 31:10-29. The father and mother then
moved from one child to another (the children were married adults) and
proceeded to do the same thing. In turn, the sons followed suit with their
wives joining in as they blessed their own children.
The remainder
of the evening was filled with joyous singing. No one left the table. No one
sat silent. After the blessings around the table, our 4-some group was asked to
join the family. An awesome invitation!!!
I
have never before danced the “Macarena” to the song “Od Avineu Chi”. (“Our
Father Lives”) It was so fun and made us feel like mishpocha (family).
The
singing went on until almost 10 PM. By that time the little ones were getting
very tired and it was time to go to bed. Three hours had passed since the
Sabbath dinner began. We had a glimpse of what the family was supposed to be
like- according to God’s pattern. That family was very much “together” and knit
tightly. It would be hard to imagine what could get in to weaken such a unit.
The secret is that every Shabbat, they exclude everything else but the family.
No one could be a part of that family unit and feel alone or unwanted. Where
did it start? At the head –the husband/father!!!
He
set the tone of loving and blessing his wife. Together, they blessed their
children who in turn duplicated that very same pattern. I believe that this is
how it was meant to be.
Could
the reason that the devil sold us a lie about Sabbath is because it is the
number one factor in preserving the family as a whole, strong, powerful unit?
Think about it- At the end of every hectic week, the KING comes; the
husband/father brings his family to be with the KING. They eat, share and laugh
together. They bless each other with genuine love and then have fun together as
the cares of the past week fall away. They are refreshed, renewed and securely
loved. They are ready for another week of storms and wars.
I see
it this way –The KING (Yeshua) made an eternal appointment to meet with us
intimately every Sabbath. He set the time- we are invited to be there. He comes
and for most of the believing world- we do not turn up. That starts the family
becoming fragmented. Without the King being there, the next in command –the
husband/father- must try to hold the family together. He cannot do it- the main
ingredient is missing –God! God is the glue.
In
his best attempts, the husband/father carries on in his role but who fills the
role of the King?
This
Father’s Day –I challenge you Fathers –to first meet with the KING at his
appointed time. Then enjoy the love and honor that your family bestows on you
because you are a “servant of the KING” in the KING’S castle.
