There are two questions that are asked of me at most Rites of Passage. The first is, “Where was this for my older children?” That is normally followed by the statement, “Maybe they would still be in church if we would have done this for them.”
The second question seems to be more sensitive to the person asking. It is, “Where was this for me?”
These are not easy questions to answer, except to say that we are trying to (re)capture something that is “of God” and so needed in our churches today. It is not just about a spiritual blessing. It is also an issue of speaking truth - - truth about who and whose we are.
Far too many Christians have never been told that they are loved because of who they are and not what they do. Blessings counter the lies and deceptions of satan.
A significant dynamic that we see at Rites of Passage weekends is the high number of men and women of all ages who come forward to receive a Father’s Blessing. I have witnessed men and women in their 80’s kneel to be blessed.
Afterwords, many have told me that they have known for years that “something was missing” but they just did not know what it was until that night.
I believe that churches must focus on being families that bless one another.
Clearly a foundational work on this subject is The Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent. One of my favorites is Rolf Garborg’s book The Family Blessing.
Blessings change life and help shape our destiny. No one in God’s family should ever wonder if they have been blessed.
Here is a question for readers - - When did you receive a Father’s blessing? Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.
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2 comments:
My dad (a Jewish believer) always blessed me and prayed for me, often with tears, before I would leave my parents' house, especially as an adult when I lived a couple of hundred miles away. When my daughter went off to college, he laid hands on her and blessed her. When my son turned 13, and my dad was housebound, I asked him to bless his grandson, which he did with my son sitting next to him on the couch. I can't express how much I miss him and his prayer covering over me and my family. He went into Jesus' presence a little over 3 years ago.
You came to our church a while back in Eaton, CO. I (Sharon) am from Eaton and attended the service with my husband. My family was there, too. My husband's dad passed away just 2 years before that service, so my dad was able to bless me and my husband. It was such a special time and something we will all remember. We are so grateful for the AWESOME God we serve! And we are grateful to know His love for us in new and precious ways. Thanks Chuck, for investing in Eaton.
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