God the Father

I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).

What does it mean to have God the Father in your life?

Everyone has a father, a man who joined with Mom to give them life.  Sadly, many children don’t know their fathers—in some cases the man wanted nothing to do with being a parent, while other times the mother chose to exclude him from being part of the family that she was raising.  There are some children who hate or fear their dad—he might be physically abusive, overly demanding, or emotionally distant.  And there are many who lost Dad far too soon—to war, to disease, or to accidental death.

No father is perfect, but a good one is a treasure.  The best fathers are a strong center for their families, providing stability in a chaotic and confusing world.  They provide a sense of security, from putting food on the table to providing wise leadership.  A good father balances love for his children with an expectation for good conduct and personal responsibility.  The best dads lead by example and earn the respect of everyone in the home.

God our Father is the ultimate expression of all these virtues.  He is our Father because He caused each and every one of us to be conceived in our mothers’ wombs.  He is the Father every child craves—interested in our lives, concerned for our well being, supportive of our development.  He has expectations for our behavior—He will brook no disrespect, and He will apply corrective measures when necessary to shape us into the best people that we can be.  He defends us from evil and comforts us with His strength when life seems overwhelming. 

But God is not just our Father—He is also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And it is His relationship with the Savior that demonstrates the depth of His love for us.  God loves His Son more deeply than any human can fully appreciate, yet He sent Jesus to the cross.  On Calvary, God punished His beloved Son for all the terrible things you and I have done.  He did this so that our sins might no longer separate us from His love.  God the Father wants to have a close, personal relationship with you today and always.