Job: A Father & A Priest

Erma Bombeck, “I received a letter from a single mother who had raised a son who was about to become a dad. Since he had no recollection of his own father, her question to me was "What do I tell him a father does?"

When my dad died in my ninth year, I, too, was raised by my mother, giving rise to the same question, "What do fathers do?" As far as I could observe, they brought around the car when it rained so everyone else could stay dry.

They always took the family pictures, which is why they were never in them. They carved turkeys on Thanksgiving, kept the car gassed up, weren't afraid to go into the basement, mowed the lawn, and tightened the clothesline to keep it from sagging.

It wasn't until my husband and I had children that I was able to observe firsthand what a father contributed to a child's life. What did he do to deserve his children's respect? He rarely fed them, did anything about their sagging diapers, wiped their noses or fannies, played ball, or bonded with them under the hoods of their cars.

What did he do?”

In a moment, as Paul Harvey says, “The rest of the story.”

On this day we celebrate fatherhood.  Yes, fatherhood of the nature father, but also fatherhood as example to those who have no father.  We all have the opportunity to mentor and love the underprivileged and the privileged of having a father.

Today we are looking a Job and his privilege as a man of God and a father.

First let’s look at his:

I.                   Privileged Position (1)

A.                Place of Origin

B.                 Place of Righteousness

1.                  Blameless—Moral Goodness

2.                  Upright—Moral Innocence

3.                  Feared God—Proper Respect and Awe

4.                  Turns Away From Evil—Conscience Effort Not to Sin

·        Job 31:1—“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then shall I gaze at a virgin?” (NAS)

·        Job 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.” (NIV)

Next, let’s look at his:

II.                Privileged Proceeds (2-3)

A.                Blessed with a Large Family

B.                 Blessed with Great Wealth

C.                 Blessed with a Good Name

At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, the world watched as a parable of the father's love was played out on international television.

            As the gun sounded for the 400-meter race, Great Britain's Derrick Redman knew that his lifelong dream of winning the gold medal was in view. But as he entered the back stretch, Redman was sent sprawling by the ripping pain of a torn hamstring. By an act of sheer will, he struggled to his feet in excruciating pain and began hopping toward the finish line.

             Suddenly Derrick's father bounded out of the stands, past a security guard. He threw his arms around his son. In a voice choked with emotion, he whispered, "Come on, Son, let's finish this together." The crowd cheered and wept as they watched the father half-carrying his wounded son jerkily down the stretch and across the finish line.

Finally, let’s look at his:

III.             Priesthood (for His Family) (4-5)

A.                Offered a Sacrifice for Each Child

B.                 Interceded for Their Sins

C.                 Consistence in His Life (Job was an exemplary person)

When I was a small boy growing up in Pennsylvania we would often visit my grandparents who lived nine miles away. One night a thick fog settled over the hilly countryside before we started home. I remember being terrified, and asking if we shouldn't be going even slower than we were. Mother said gently, "Don't worry. Your father knows the way."

            You see, Dad had walked that road when there was no gasoline during the war. He had ridden that blacktop on his bicycle to court Mother. And for years he had made those weekly trips back to visit his own parents.

            How often when I can't see the road of life, and have felt that familiar panic rising in my heart I have heard the echo of my mother's voice: "Don't worry. Your Father knows the way."

And now, the rest of the story:

He threw them higher than his head until they were weak from laughter. He cast the deciding vote on the puppy debate. He listened more than he talked. He let them make mistakes. He allowed them to fall from their first two-wheeler without having a heart attack. He read a newspaper while they were trying to parallel park a car for the first time in preparation for their driving test.

If I had to tell someone's son what a father really does that is important, it would be that he shows up for the job in good times and bad times. He's a man who is constantly being observed by his children. They learn from him how to handle adversity, anger, disappointment and success.

He won't laugh at their dreams no matter how impossible they might seem. He will dig out at 1 a.m. when one of his children runs out of gas. He will make unpopular decisions and stand by them. When he is wrong and makes a mistake, he will admit it. He sets the tone for how family members treat one another, members of the opposite sex and people who are different than they are. By example, he can instill a desire to give something back to the community when its needs are greater than theirs.

But mostly, a good father involves himself in his kids' lives. The more responsibility he has for a child, the harder it is to walk out of his life.

A father has the potential to be a powerful force in the life of a child. Grab it! Maybe you'll get a greeting card for your efforts. Maybe not. But it's steady work.