Key Bible Verse: I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord and do what is right and just (Genesis 18:19). Bonus Reading: Psalm 78:4-8

A few years ago I interviewed Jim Ryun, the former world-champion miler/Olympic star and now congressmen Ryun from Kansas, and his wife, Anne, on my radio program. Both of them are committed Christians who have raised an outstanding family. I asked Anne about how Jim balanced the demands of his career with his duties as a father.

She said, "I don't worry about that because I know that the first thing every morning—no matter where he is in the world—Jim will be up early spending time in the Scripture. And his number one priority in his personal devotions is a diligent search for fresh spiritual food that he can bring to his family." I had never heard this concept expressed in this way before. It had a profound effect on me.

My responsibility to bring spiritual nourishment to my family is a serious one not unlike my responsibility to bring physical nourishment to them. If I want to bring my family food, I have to go either to the store or the garden and look for things that will not only feed me but all of them as well. This is the way I need to approach the Word of God on a daily basis.

—Michael Farris in What a Daughter Needs from Her Dad

My Response: I'll look for a nugget from Scripture this week to pass on to my family.

Adapted from What a Daughter Needs from Her Dad (Bethany, 1996, 2004) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Lord, I want to feed my family spiritually as well as physically. Fill me so that I can pass on the overflow.

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