“What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from our children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done.” —Psalm 78:3-4
I grew up hearing this verse quoted to my sister and me (from the KJV) quite often. My parents believed it was important to pass the baton of faith to their girls, so that we, in turn, could speak “the truth in love” to our own children and grandchildren one day.
My father was a man of the Word. He studied it; he based his Sunday sermons on it. And he taught me to quote from memory whole chapters from the Bible, from the time I was in primary school, and even earlier. He believed that if you “train up a child” in the way he or she should go, the living, breathing Word of God would form and shape that child’s entire life.
I remember my father inviting the neighborhood children that my sister and I walked to school with, encouraging them to join us in memorizing Scripture each week day. These are precious memories to me…this Daddy of mine, so eager to spread the joy of the Gospel to everyone he met. So enthusiastic about making friends with people, in order to introduce them to the Savior.
So, this Father’s Day, I will miss my dad very much, but I will count my blessings because the Lord chose him to be my father for all those wonderful years!
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads…and happy summer to everyone,
Beverly Lewis