The Works of God

As most of you know or could guess, The Works of God is named primarily because that phrase shows up in John 9, the accounting of Jesus healing the man born blind.

But it also shows up in other places, like Psalm 78:

He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God. . .  Psalm 78:5-7a

How do fathers learn how to teach their children to do that?  I’ve learned a great deal from other men.

Several weeks ago I had the thought that on Father’s Day it would be nice to honor some of the men who help me do what has been commanded that I do as a father.  Then I abandoned it because of all the problems it seemed to create:

• How could I possibly limit it to a few men?
• How would it make people feel who don’t have ANY positive male influences in their lives?
• Of what use would that list be to anyone?
• What if I’m really engaging in hero worship rather than Godly respect?

We must always remember—and not just give lip service to the fact—that God is the one who apportions gifts to teachers, pastors, and authors. The churches get edified. God gets the glory.

God gets the glory!  Ok, that seems like a good thing to talk about.

It is right and risky to aim at being worthy of emulation. It is more foundationally right to aim at being helpful. It is essential in both that we be amazed that we are forgiven through Christ, and that we serve rather than seek to be served.

And there it was – I can freely honor by showing how these men have been helpful, and maybe others can learn from their examples.

Over the next seven days, Lord willing, I hope to raise up examples of men who are or have been helpful to me.  I have a personal relationship with all of them; no dead authors in this group although two have passed on from this life.  And I am very fond of all of them!  But I’ll try to keep those affections as secondary to explaining how they have helped.

In doing so, I hope you will be encouraged that God does things like give the gift of people who help us love him more.  And I also hope that you will take the time to honor and thank men in your lives who have helped you.