Thursday, April 14, 2011

God the Father

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Matthew 6:9


Father.  That name brings back many memories for people.  Depending on the circumstance, it either brings a smile to one's face or a painful tear sliding down one's cheek.  It is a name for God that is probably the most relatable for all people.


When Jesus appears on the scene and begins to teach people about God, he refers to God as Father.  Not just once or twice but nearly every time he speaks of God.  Jesus even gave an example of how to pray and that prayer begins with, Our Father.  Jesus includes us in the use of Father as a name to use for God.  It wasn't just that Jesus was God's son so naturally he calls him Father.  The people Jesus spoke to could call God Father also.

Jesus offers us a new perspective on God.  A more familiar name of Father.  One that is much more personal.  It is a name with which we have firsthand knowledge.  When Jesus tells the stories such as the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-32 or the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32,  people can understand because they know of the relationship between a father and child.  Jesus changed the whole nature of the relationship between God and His people.

However not everyone has a good relationship with their father.  Sadly, the dismantling of the family has caused some people to think of the role of father with disdain.  The experience some have with their earthly father has caused them to question God as a Father.

God is not the same as an earthly father.  He is perfect in every way and instead of comparing God to the unfortunate experience of a bad or absent earthly father, He should be embraced and understood that He steps in to fill that role and be the fullness of everything a father should be to their children.

I hope you have a good experience with your earthly father.  If you have or if you haven't God as our Father is the perfect example of Father in every way and we can look to Him with confidence.  We can have that father/child relationship with Him.  We get to experience a deeper connection to Him if we will just accept and delight in Him as our Father.

2 comments:

  1. I woke up today humming that song by JJ Heller that goes "when my heart is breaking I never leave your hands." I love thinking of God as this great big father who holds me in his giant hands protecting and caring for me. It certainly makes the experience of earthly adult life seem less scary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I woke up today humming that song by JJ Heller that goes "when my heart is breaking I never leave your hands." I love thinking of God as this great big father who holds me in his giant hands protecting and caring for me. It certainly makes the experience of earthly adult life seem less scary. :)

    ReplyDelete