A Father’s Advice
23 June 2021
What are your key three?
If you worshiped with us at COS this past Sunday, you experienced an “out of the box” sermon. Not a deep dive into one gospel lesson, but a conversation with my own dad, Fred Wiese, about fatherhood and faith. In the Fourth Commandment, God instructs us to honor our parents. So, for this past Sunday’s Father Day, interviewing my dad was a fun way to lean into both God’s hope and my delight in hearing my dad’s advice on life.
Toward the end of the interview, I asked my dad for any final thoughts. I’m so glad I did, because he shared three key faith statements or prayers that, over 80 years of experience, he finds valuable to embrace each day.
- Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. (My own translation: “Thanks for the new day, Lord. I say YES and THANK YOU. But I still need your help in achieving the right attitude to fully play my part in what you’d have me do today.”)
- Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. (My own translation: “I can’t fool you, Lord, who knows 100% of my thoughts and deeds. Keep showering your grace upon me and help me do the same with others.”)
- Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. (My own translation: “Lord, help me set aside my compulsion for showing others how they are wrong or I am right and give me the wisdom to make my community and family as joyful and hopeful as possible.)
You’ve seen that after each statement, in my Father’s words, I’ve tried to express in my own words on what those statements mean to me. How about you? How would you talk about these three faith statements? Do they ring true to you, as they do to my dad? Furthermore, if YOU had to articulate three key faith statements or mini-prayers that are meaningful to you in your relationship with Jesus, what would they be? Have you shared them with your kids or loved ones? Who knows? Maybe they would be very inspirational, as my dad’s were for me.
Up until this past Sunday, I had never heard my dad talk about those mini-prayers, specifically. It goes to show you the value of striking up conversations with family, friends, and neighbors—you always will learn something! In a phone conversation with a COS disciple this week, she shared tenderly, “What I would give to be able to spend an afternoon talking with my folks.” She gives us an encouraging reminder that we should all seize opportunities to talk with those we love, such special God-given gifts. Which family might you call this week?
To hear my dad, Fred Wiese, share his three key daily mini-prayers, click here:
To watch the whole conversation about faith and fatherhood, click here:
In Christ’s hope,
Pastor Fritz
Let us pray:
Dear God, thanks for fathers and mothers and all those you’ve given us to love and love us. Relationships can be hard, so we ask for your grace and wisdom within them. Help us refrain from rigidly imposing our will upon our children, but grant us wisdom to express our support, care, pride and counsel in healthy ways. May faith and your agenda be passed on from generation to generation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.