There is a very special power which manifests itself when Fathers decide to come together and to pray. As Father's Day approaches, my thoughts turn to a very special Father's Day Prayer. One of appreciation, a deep understanding and nostalgia.
No matter how tough my father was on us growing up, whether it was the tough love of a belt, stick or a brick, when the need for discipline met up with our youthful imaginations of just how far we could push the limits of his compassion. Or, the sagaciously executed intellectual sanctions against our most desired forms of entertainment, when we broke the well defined boundaries set by our father, discipline became the order of the day.
Yes, when we grew up our fathers kept us in line. Not only one's paternal father but even my friends' fathers would toe the rope to keep us in line. If we were to come home and mention that we received discipline from our friends father for a misdeed, we received - not sympathy, but at least the equivalent discipline again under our same roof top.
Our fathers meant serious business, especially when it came to bringing up strong men.
However, any time there was trouble with one of us, sickness, or other major problems the word quickly went out and there was a circle in the community among the fathers which embraced our survival. The fathers of our community would join together not just in social support, or get well wishes but they went a bit further than that.
I remember many nights at prayer meeting, when we would all have to go up to the alter as children and stand with our fathers. I remember many times as one father would start to pray, before he could finish his prayer, another father would pick up and continue to pray, then before he finished then another, and then another, and then … I remember my father bringing it on to the next spiritual level.
He would talk to God as if he was standing there staring at God at the threshold of Heaven and he would Speak with the authority of David making specific partitions of God on behalf of the young men going through trouble in our community. It was as if you could feel God's hand reaching out beyond everyone in the room and going to the neighborhood street corners touching weak and downtrodden spirits, giving them new life.
In our neighborhoods, we saw lives change America. We saw young men revived, and sustained. Fathers across America Today: It is time to “go back” to that ole landmark.
It is time to Pray.
Fathers show your sons the power of prayer. Teach them that God moves in mysterious ways and that they must always remember that prayer has the power to change things. No matter what their circumstances they must always know that Prayer brings on POWERS by which POSITIVE results are accomplished.
0 comments:
Post a Comment