Over 2,000 years ago Jesus came to declare to the world that the uncreated God of Heaven and Earth is a Father who so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die so that He may inherit a family through the blood of His Son. As Jesus taught, He was very intentional about speaking of God as His Father, your Father, and our Father.
Two verses in the Bible can have a different impact when you change one word; God to Father. Genesis 1:1 could read “In the beginning the Father...” and John 3:16 could easily read, “For the Father so loved the world.” As we consider the truth that Jesus came and taught us to relate to God as our Father we must actually begin to look at several places in the Word and consider Him a Father, a 'Papa', a Dad that has real tangible affection, feeling and emotion for His children.
Consider the many verses that speak of God's delight, rejoicing heart and enjoyment of those that fear Him. Psalm 16:3 As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. Job 33:26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy. Proverbs 8:30 I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him. I approach these verses as the description of what my Father in heaven is like and how He feels about me. The truth is He delights in me. He takes pleasure in me. He rejoices over me. I write my name in those verses to where it reads ‘as for Wes who lives in KC, he is my excellent son in whom is all my delight’ (psalm 16:3). This can seem minute but beloved this is powerful. When I speak it, pray it and sing it the most powerful thing begins to happen... I begin to believe it! When our hearts begin to be rooted and grounded in the truth of how our Father feels towards us we will become bold and confident sons and daughters.
I ask myself why? Why does my Father feel this way about me? Because I am His son and He is my Father. That’s it. Jesus said it best in John 17:23 You (Father) have loved them as You have loved Me. This is stunning! The same love that the Father loves Jesus He loves me. The way God loves God is the SAME way God loves me. Unthinkable! He is a Father that is madly in love with His children. He actually likes us, He is for us and He’s zealous to be our Father in whom we find our strength, our comfort, our hope and our security.
I’m a new dad these days and I can tell you that there’s nothing that could keep me from taking joy in my son. When I think of him I’m filled with affection, gladness and pleasure. He’s only six months old, he cannot earn my love. He doesn’t have to do anything for it. He can barely sit up let alone ‘do’ for me, and He doesn’t have to. He is my son! Therefore I’m full of love and affection for him. And the scripture says if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more your Father in heaven... Mt 7:11.
Rest in the knowledge that He knows your name, that He built your frame and takes the hitghest pleasure in you. Rest in the fact that you cannot nor ever will be expected to EARN His love. Before time began He knew you, sent His Son--the very gloy of his image--as ransom for you. Rest knowing that you have an eternal Father who will never fail you, who is forever proud of you and let him embrace you with His effection!
