James 3:17 – But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere.

Long ago, my husband, Mike, timidly approached my father to ask my hand in marriage. If you knew my father, you would agree this was one of my husband’s greatest acts of bravery. My father was a man of words and infamous for what we called, “Death by Lecture.

But, by some miracle, my father simply offered him brief and to-the-point advice. First, my father said, “Son, always put God first in your marriage.” Then my father continued with two other bits of advice never anticipated. He added, “Son, never let that girl get hungry, or you will be sorry. And always make sure she gets her sleep or nobody’s going to be happy. Yes, you may marry my daughter.”

For years, I wondered why my father, who could spend half an hour lecturing on the correct pronunciation of the word “window,” had offered such simple and unconventional advice. But I have come to realize the wisdom in those snippets of advice and now see them as an offering of love. You see, my dad adored my choice of a mate and desperately wanted us to have a blessed marriage. So, my father offered spot-on advice to my husband, who now will vouch to its truth.

Our Heavenly Father loves us deeply and knows us well. He, too, offers valuable and true advice for us to live a blessed life and all we need to do is open His Word. For us to have a peaceful life, God tells us to give a gentle answer when we are angry (Proverbs 15:1). For a life filled with blessings, God tells us to be generous with what we have (Luke 6:38). For a life of understanding and wisdom in all situations, God tells us to take the time to listen (James 1:19). To avoid falls, God advises us to rid our lives of pride (Proverbs 16:18). And if you desire more, just open God’s Word.

As we continue to celebrate this Father’s Day, may we give thanks for the wisdom of our loving Heavenly Father who loves us beyond words and desires us to have a blessed life.

We thank you for the wisdom found in Your Word, Father. We pray for hearts that willingly accept.

Blessings,
Rita Cochrane