Morning by Morning, August 7, 2026 — A Father’s Blessing
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You and our Father and Holy Spirit are One, abiding in me as I abide in You, in the communion of life I have in You as a son of God. …
“What great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
Last night I was invited to join with other men for a time of fellowship and prayer out at our local park. My youngest son, Josiah, was in town visiting us and he wanted to go. At the end, the group leader invited Josiah to come stand among us, as we laid hands on him and prayed blessings over him.
When it was my turn, I was moved by Your Spirit to speak a father’s blessing over him, as I asked him to look me in the eyes and listen for our Father’s words.
As I spoke what Your Spirit gave me to say in those moments, I was reminding him of the meaning of his name:
Josiah—meaning The Fire of the Lord. May the Fire of God burn in his heart all the days of his life.
Benjamin—meaning Son of My Right Hand, speaking of the right hand of authority. May he be a man of God, seeking to live his life under the authority of the hand of God, as the Lord his God stretches out His hand of authority through his life in the unique ways the Lord will choose, all in His time, all in His way.
Hays—meaning he is my son, carrying my name, but much more importantly, he is a son of God, created and called by his True Father in Heaven. Freed to live his life freely from any of my own personal desires for his life but fully into all God’s personal desires for his life.
You reminded me of one his struggles, which is also being redeemed into one of his great blessings. He can think in ways he thinks is conflicting, with skepticism. But I saw with the eyes of my heart two swords, and the biblical phrase that “Iron sharpens iron” from Proverbs 27:17. You are using his conflicting thoughts to sharpen his discernment and teach him how search for the truth, at a much deeper level than most do. And when he finds it, he will know from the depths of his heart what is true, firmly established in unwavering faith, because he’ll be grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. No longer conflicted but certain. Not because somebody else told him or taught him, but because You brought him to know the truth for himself.
Thank You, Lord, for Your Father’s blessing over each of us. What great love You have lavished upon us, Father God. Just as You spoke over Jesus at his baptism, so You with Your same Spirit over us:
“You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).
That was before Jesus ever spoke His first sermon or worked His first miracle. You affirmed Your love and affirmed His identity as a Son, affirming Your pleasure in Him not based on what He would do but who He was.
You do the same for us. You love us no matter what, because we are Your sons and daughters through Jesus Christ our Lord. We’ll make our mistakes and have our regrets, as we seek to find our way, coming to understand our true identity in You and then fulfilling our destiny in You. But You’ll be with us through it all, loving us through it all, blessing us with Your Father’s Blessing with Your Father Heart through it all.
Freely we receive, and freely we can give. Thank You for the joy and blessing of getting to speak a father’s blessing over my son last night. And thank You for the Father’s Blessing You speak over each of us to receive from Your Heart:
“This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:23-27).
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged this day. In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you receive Your Father's blessing, this day and ever day: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace, in Jesus' name. God bless you, my friend! And you have a great day!
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Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
502 North Milam Street
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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