FATHER’S PRIESTLY MANDATE

Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua is well advanced in age. He gathers Israel leaders at Shechem and charge them to obey the Lord. He even warns them of apostasy by telling them ” choose you this day whom ye will serve;” He is giving them a choice and also tells them how God has been good to them.He reinforced his appeal with power as good example of a priestly figure in his family. He says that even if the Israelites do not serve the Lord, “… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

As a priest in his family, Joshua acknowledged his responsibility for the spiritual life of his family.( Bruce Howell, 2001). As we celebrate Father’s day today, let us remember we have a priestly role to play for the spiritual wellbeing of our families. The greatest thing a father can pass to his children is the love for God. As fathers, we will be accountable to God for the position of influence He has given to us. The souls of our children have eternal value and should not be sacrificed on the altar of being so busy.

Let’s take our priestly mandate as fathers with the seriousness it deserve. The enemy is aware that:-WEAK FAMILIES leads to WEAK CHURCHES. When the church is weak, we will have a WEAK SOCIETY and ultimately a WEAK NATION.

Fathers then must set standards in maturity, integrity, honesty and character. This is because they have been called to be priests in the family, church and the society.

Further readings.
Deu 6:6-9
Psa. 78:3-8
Eze. 22:30

🙏Happy Fathers Day🙏