A father's blessing

As parents, God bestowed on us significant authority over our children, so much so He backs up pronouncements we make concerning our children, to perform it.  More so, the Bible in Ephesians 6:1-3 demands Children to obey their parents and honour their father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, that it may be well with them and that they may live long on earth.

We have seen from stories in the Bible that acts of dishonour provoke negative pronouncements (or curses) even from ‘Godly’ parents. These children then begin to suffer the consequences of those pronouncements for the rest of their lives, except if God decides to intervene again by His mercy.

You may recall the story of Noah in Genesis 9:20-27 when he cursed his youngest son for his wrong acts and blessed his other sons. In Gen 9:25 he said ‘Cursed be Canaan, the lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers’

This is quite similar to the case of Israel when he made pronouncements concerning his son Reuben.

Genesis 49:3-4 ‘ Reuben you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up on to your bed, on to my couch and defiled it’

Interestingly, the reverse also holds where a parent makes positive pronouncements (blessings) on a child, the blessings stays with that child forever.  Esau most have understood this when he practically begged his father for any leftover blessing, after he realized he had lost out to his brother, Jacob. Genesis 27:36-38.

As parents, we need to be conscious of the efficacy of our pronouncements and to be cautious in saying things that might impact our children negatively, even in the face of provocation. More so, we also live in a world in which abusive words are offered generously even from parents to children sometimes requiring some slight provocation or just offered playfully. We need to watch out to ensure we continuously pronounce blessings on our children and not curses (even when they seem to deserve it).  We also need to let our children understand the importance of their parent’s pronouncements on them and the need for them to do things that will provoke blessings rather than curses.

Genesis 49:26a’ Your father’s blessings are greater that the blessings of the ancient mountains’

Prayer Point: O Lord, help me to be able to train my children to be of good conduct and to give me rest. Help me to be able to forgive their wrong doings and bless them always in Jesus name.