Trusting my Father

Yesterday a person was unkind toward me, not realizing it or apologizing. At first I felt sad for myself, then sad for that person because she obviously does not know the effect of her actions and often does the same thing to others. She also does not know Jesus, the Giver of wisdom and love.

This incident gave me a greater burden for the lost, for this person in particular but also for others who do the same thing toward people without realizing that their behavior is unloving. Besides, I’ve done the same thing and felt the sting of conviction and the shame of being unkind. This is something that the Holy Spirit can take care of in the right way and the right time. I need to trust God for this.

Today’s devotional talks again about the beauty of a healthy child/father relationship and how it illustrates the relationship of a Christian to our Heavenly Father. However, that comparison is not always the best.

USA statistics say 43% of US children live without their father. 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes. 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes. Statistics Canada are somewhat better with about 13% of children in fatherless households.

These children can suffer lasting damage such as poverty, dropping out of school, addicted to drugs, having children out of wedlock, or living a life of crime and ending up in prison. Being without a father or having a bad father strongly affects a child and strongly affects a child’s view of God.

My father was always there, and a good person. However, my parents were told I would not live past 16 so they spoiled me by providing most things that I wanted. When I became a Christian, I thought God would be like that. It was an adjustment to realize that He is not. Certainly He wants the best for me, but for a few years I had to learn that His best was not the same as my ideas.

Yet the marvel of God is that He does give all things to His children — all things that are good for us. Trusting Him means this:

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (1 Corinthians 3:21–23)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29)

This isn’t about stuff. It is about being like Jesus, having the fullness of all that He is and bearing the fruit of the Spirit so I am joyful, at peace, contented, and loving Him and others. It means that I can trust Him to take care of my life, reputation, needs, emotions, desires, and ability to deal with whatever comes along. I’ve often called myself ‘God’s spoiled brat’ because His care is so totally undeserved and always a blessing and even a surprise.

He is a good Father. He actually is like my dad but instead of giving me what I want, He changed my wants! I don’t need to worry about physical needs or any other kind of needs. Holding His hand is enough to show me that all my riches are in Christ. He is enough.

PRAY: Jesus, it is good to be overwhelmed with a thankful heart. You supply all I need and the contentment to be satisfied with it. Yes, there are times when I feel left out, ignored, or neglected, but negativity comes from thinking the world’s thoughts, or wanting stuff that my old nature wants, or listening to the devil’s lies. Protecting me from my spiritual enemies and from errors in what I want, is the Father’s job and again, I’m thankful for His care.

Many Names but still Father…

In my mind, my dad has only one title — dad or father. I’d never call him ‘the old man’ or by any other term, derogatory or affectionately. However, today’s devotional asks: But what about the other names of God; do they not convey other and more terrifying ideas?

Yesterday it mentioned three: judge, king, and lawgiver. I cannot remember my father every judging me, putting me in a rare group. He evaluated things, but never made me feel as if I was under his scrutiny.
Of course my heavenly Father is a judge, yet in judging me He finds me totally wanting. As with everyone else, I fall short of the glory of God, missing the mark and having no merit or legal right to stand before Him. Yet all is not lost.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17–21)

This is an incredible reality. God judged me, found me guilty, put my guilt on Christ trading it for His righteousness that I might be justified. No guilt. No condemnation. This is the love and grace of my Father the Judge.

He is also my King. That is, He rules over me. My life is not my own. Yet He is not a despot king nor one who rules with an iron fist. He rules the universe yet somehow governs it so all things are for me, not against me.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

How does God do that? We often say in our church, “Only God” for we know the power of this King who is also our Father.

As for Lawgiver, I remember this word by Watchman Nee. He said, “The Lawgiver on the throne has become the Law-keeper in our hearts.” Again, this is the mighty love of my Heavenly Father. He does for me what I could never do apart from Him.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:13)

I’m to always think of Him as my Heavenly Father. All He does is what a good, good Father would do. Christ declares Him that I might know God’s love and never have any anxious or rebellious thoughts. The NT puts it this way:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31–39)

PRAY: Jesus, You took my sin and shame that I might know the wonder of being loved by God. Indeed, what can I say to these things! All that I have needed, You have provided. How wonderful is Your love for me.

Our Perfect Father

In Bible times, the father of the home was responsible to provide and care for his family. He was the source of life for the children and their protector as well as the main authority figure. He was expected to discipline (and forgive) when necessary and educate the children in both ordinary and spiritual matters. He was to be honored and any abuse toward him was considered shameful and punished severely.

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He told them:

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (Matthew 6:9)

In thinking about the role of fathers in those days compared to what happens in family life in our culture, this concept of God being Father can be confusing for some. Think of those whose fathers were abusive, or absent, or dead-beats. How difficult to relate to God as a loving, heavenly Father without having a loving earthly father.

My dad was none of the negatives. He may have been working more than many fathers, but he was there for us, being the father he should be with the addition of a wonderful sense of humor. There was a lot of laughter in our home. He was not a spiritual man until later in life, but mother and grandmother’s prayers filled in.

Millions of God’s children call Him Father. Had every Christian known the depth of what that means, His nature and care would never be doubted. Unfortunately, the other titles for God sometimes put connotations in our hearts and minds and bring misunderstanding and uncertainty.

For instance, God is also known as a king, judge, and lawgiver. Those words can confuse His children about what He is like. The devotional writer says, “It is inconceivable that a good father could forget or neglect or be unfair to his children. A savage or wicked father might, but a good father never! In calling our God by the blessed name of Father, we ought to know that if He is a father at all, He must be the very best of fathers, and His fatherhood must be the highest ideal of fatherhood we can conceive.”

As already said, God combines the best of both father and mother, which includes all  the love, tenderness, compassion, yearning, and self-sacrifice that we recognize to be at the heart of great parenting, even though it is not always seen in earthly parents.

PRAY: Jesus, You came to reveal God to us. I’m so thankful for the word ‘father’ and that You gave me a great example, yet realize that as wonderful as my own father was, he does not compare to the wonder of having a heavenly Father who is utterly perfect and who is always enough — meeting all my needs and loving me with such amazing patience and grace.

Our Main Caregiver…

Most of us played ‘doctor’ when we were young. In those days, a doctor had a higher reputation. Same with fathers. When we played ‘house’ we were happy if any boy in the group was willing to be the father. Nowadays, the role of father like the role of a doctor has lost more of its sparkle.

That does not negate the importance of a father’s role. This is illustrated in the NT where the term is used for God more than two hundred times, sometimes with great affection. These three use the term “Abba” which similar to our word “Daddy.”

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:6)

Yesterday and today I missed my daddy. Mom worried and stewed taking care of me, but he was able to ‘care with confidence’. However, my hubby took that role. A few times I looked at him and thought of how my dad ministered to me.
All this is to say that our Great Physician needs no stethoscope or pills. He is still able to just say a word bring healing, yet if for reasons I do not understand, I’m to suffer a bit more, He is still caring for me as my loving Father.