What does it mean to be a godly father? What makes being a Christian father different? What can dads do to leave a legacy of faithfulness? Here is a little poem I read on a friend’s blog. It might fit well as a Sunday morning insert or in a newsletter. It is from the book “Poems for Patriarchs
When Father Reads the Book – By G.E. Foster
When we hurry off to work,
I’m reminded of those early times
When father read the Book.
When father read the Book
As we each our places took
Round the dear old family altar
When father read the Book
O those dear old Bible stories,
Psalms that flowed like rippling brook;
Warnings, promises, and precepts
Lived, as father read the Book.
As father read the Book.
Satan’s kingdom round us shook,
And our savior early claimed us
Because father read the Book.
O they say it was old-fashioned,
And what waste of time ‘twould look
To now take half-an-hour
To let father read the Book,
But as father read the Book,
Blessed thought in our minds stuck;
And the day went so much better
Just ’cause father read the Book.
Oft I’m troubled as I journey
On toward heav’n with upward look,
To see families all about me
Grow up without father’s Book
Let father read the Book;
Your home will be so different
If your father reads the Book.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Great poem.. What an awesome reminder of how important it is to have family bible readings. This poem will be read out during our short Children’s Ministry presentation on Father’s Day this coming Sunday in “Big church”. Thanks for a fantastic site. In His Service. Wendy
Wendy,
Thanks for your comment on my website. This poem reminds me of what really matters. Your comment gave me another idea – what if I had children read the poem during the children’s sermon? Maybe pull a few strong readers out during Sunday school and assign them reading parts?
Thanks Tony. haven’t talked to you for awhile. May the Lord bless you.
Dear Tony:
I enjoyed the poem. Father’s Day at our church generally consists of a reading such as a poem or with scripture. We might recognize the father with the most children, or the oldest father in our flock. We have a very small church, maybe 60 at the most on Sunday morning. The men in our church, fathers or not, work very hard.
We are currently building a new church because our church is in the flood plain and we have been flooded more than once. I thank God for the men in this church that give of themselves so freely for the glory of God.
I enjoy every bit of it. In Ghana some fathers are wicked that they even dont know some of their children. Some of them needs to read this. Please get yourself prepared for a program to educate them in next coming years.
Thanks.