A Father's Day Message. Have you ever wondered what it means to be the Head of the Household? Or what it means to be a leader in the home, workplace, church, or any situation where you are personally responsible for the people? What kind of responsibility does this position entail?
I was curious about these questions and wanted some answers. So, I looked up the (HOH) definition from the IRS.
“The IRS defines head of household as generally an unmarried taxpayer who has dependents and who pays for more than half the costs of the home. This tax filing status commonly includes single parents and divorced or legally separated parents (by the last day of the year) with custody.”[i]
The term ‘head of household’ conventionally refers to the senior male in any household, in the role of husband and (perhaps) father, but in his absence is usually ascribed to the principal earner.[ii]
I'm sure you can gather from these definitions that being the head of household is a pretty massive task; the Head is responsible for others and not just themselves. Usually, this burden falls on the father’s shoulders, but in some cases can fall upon the shoulders of a single mother.
In the Bible, Joshua was known as the Head of the Household of Israel after Moses's death. He was charged with leading the children of Israel for approximately 28 years. (Scholars greatly debate this number. But for this blog, we will go with 28 years.) At the close of his leadership, Joshua exhorted the people of Israel.
Joshua 24:15 "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." ESV
To understand Joshua's farewell speech at 110 years old, we must look at verse 14.
"Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!” Joshua 24:14
Joshua is making a declaration.
He is clearly telling the Israelites to put away the gods their fathers served on the other side of the River in Egypt. It did not matter what false god was served then; today is a new day!
This exhortation is true for each of us now. We have the ability to make our own choices, no matter what previous generations decided to do. The beauty of serving the Lord is that it's a decision each one of us makes on our own.
Just because Joshua presented the truth to the children of Israel didn’t make it their truth. Instead, the people had to choose to make it their truth, collectively and individually. In my mind, this would have been an easy choice after experiencing all the miracles God provided day and night for forty years in the wilderness.
But sadly, as we know from scripture, with every miracle God did during that time, there were still those who refused to believe. They chose the familiar foreign gods they were accustomed to in Egypt.
What about the miracle at the Red Sea?
How about the miracle of water from the rock?
Manna from Heaven?
The Jordan River?
The walls of Jericho?
These wonders are but a few of the things that should have moved them to believe God!
In my time of ministry, I have come to know that miracles don't always move the heart! I know this sounds amazing, but it is true. Often, what is seen externally doesn’t translate to the heart change that God desires. We need a resurrection of the heart to appreciate the miracles. In other words, the transformation must take place in us before we can make the correct choice.
"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel." Joshua 24:23
"If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you. Joshua 24:20
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9
We have to realize we need a Savior. We need a source beyond ourselves, and our limited imaginations to be saved and set free. We may think we are a ‘good person,’ but by whose standards are we measuring what is ‘good’? ‘Good’ does not cut it!
In addition to the change of heart, the Bible says we must also profess with our mouths, just as Joshua unashamedly proclaimed his household would serve the LORD!
Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Wow, there it is, Heart and Mouth!
In what I believe was his farewell message, Joshua was declaring that he had made a choice for himself and his family, who he will serve as Head of the Household and Head of the Israelites. He urged the people to put away false and man-made gods and serve the one true God. There is no other God like the God of Israel. He encouraged them to yield their hearts unto the Lord. In other words, have a resurrection of the heart. Serve Him in truth and sincerity, which cannot be done unless the heart has been circumcised.
So, every Head of the Household today—fathers and others—please listen to this message.
It is a tremendous duty to be the head over others. Take a stand for the Lord, serve Him, and live a life sold out for Him. Believe in His miracles and calling. Believe that He will do whatever He says He will do, now and always. Take spiritual inventory and remove any other gods. Heed the warning of the Bible as to what the alternative is if we do not abide in Him. Be an example for those you are the Head over so they can make the right choices for themselves. Leave a righteous legacy!
Father, I thank you for all the fathers out there. I pray for your covering over them. I pray for them to possess a supernatural ability to lead their families, to be a testimony to their families, co-workers, and everyone they meet. Thank you for strengthening them, protecting them, and growing them in their walk with you. I pray Psalm 119 over them. - Amen
Please watch this music video The Father's House (Live) - Cory Asbury
Happy Father's Day!
Joyce
Unless otherwise notated, Scripture quotations are from the Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. All rights reserved
[i] https://smartasset.com/taxes/what-you-need-to-know-about-filing-head-of-household
[ii] GORDON MARSHALL "head of household ." A Dictionary of Sociology. . Encyclopedia.com. 2 Jun. 2022 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.