John Hagee (June-18-2025) Daily Devotional: Proverbs 17:6 - Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
In honor of Father’s Day, Pastor Matt Hagee shared a personal story regarding two influential men in his life.
Pastor Matt was only nine-years-old when his grandfather passed away, but he cherished all the family events with him. They shared a love of the outdoors, and they spent countless hours on the lake fishing and hunting.
While he did not know him well, in the years since his grandfather passed, Pastor Matt’s father, Pastor John Hagee, has filled in the blanks. His grandfather was a man who loved the Lord with all of his heart and who loved God’s Word. He gave six decades of his life to preaching and winning souls to Christ.
What Pastor Matt did not know is that his grandfather grew up in a legalistic denomination that created personal torment for him, that made it difficult to enjoy life. The rules were based on a person’s own strength and works — not grace — and there was no room for imperfection.
One day, Pastor John began to share how difficult it was to grow up as his son, how he often would not speak one word to his family for weeks at a time. Painful memories spilled out.
In the following silence, Pastor Matt prayed for the right words to respond. Finally, he said, “Well, Dad, I guess I should write Grandpa a thank-you letter.” Pastor John exclaimed, “What?”
Pastor Matt explained, “If the way he raised you and all of the hurt that you had to endure is what helped you become the dad you are to me, then I guess I should write a letter and thank Grandpa. He never watched you play a game, but you never missed one of my practices. He might not have told you he loved you, but there’s never been a day you haven’t hugged me and kissed me and told me how proud you are of me. You let me know pretty quick, I was a hero. And you were mine. So, I want to thank you for being such a fabulous father.”
Blessing: Heavenly Father, thank You for the Godly examples of good fathers that you have placed in my life. No matter the joys or pains of my childhood, help me be the best father I can be. In the name of Jesus…amen.
Today's Bible Reading:
- Old Testament - 1 Kings 20:1-21:29
- New Testament - Acts 12:24-13:15
- Psalms & Proverbs - Psalm 137:1-9, Proverbs 17:16
