"that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
John 17:23 NKJV
The gospel of John, chapter seventeen, is Jesus' prayer to His Father. In verse twenty three of John seventeen Jesus prays that His followers will know that the Father sent Him and that the Father loves them just as He loves Jesus. Pause and think about that for a moment. Your Father God loves you just as much as He loves His Son, Jesus. How mind blowing and heart healing is that!
Growing up, I actually didn't think much about Father God. When I thought of God I always thought of my Savior and Friend, Jesus. The truth is, Father God was a stranger to me, much like my earthly father became to me in the years after he left mama and us kids for another woman. I knew he was still my dad and that in some way he still loved me, but the truth was, in the real ways that a good father cares for, provides for, protects and is interested and involved in the life of their child, my father was no longer there for me. It wasn't until I was married with children of my own that one Father's Day weekend, mourning my lack of a close relationship with my own father, I suddenly realized how well Father God had cared for me in my dad's absence. He had cared for, provided for and protected me in very real and evident ways. I realized that all along, my Father God had indeed been interested and involved in my life. There hasn't been a Father's Day since, that I haven't paused to thank God for being such a good Father to me.
You may have had a wonderful relationship with your dad. This Father's Day I hope you will celebrate what a gift your dad has been to you. Others of you, may have had a complicated, disappointing or painful relationship with your dad. Or, like me, some of you may have had a dad who left or some of you may have lost your father at a young age. This Father's Day, take some time to think about Father God's great love for you and to meditate on some of the many ways He cares for you.
He never leaves you and He never will.
...for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Hebrews 13:5 AMPC
He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 AMPC
He gives you good gifts. He isn't moody or capricious or shifty.
Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning. James 1:17 AMPC
He provides for you.
And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 AMPC
He protects you.
A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows is God in His holy habitation. Psalm 68:5 AMPC
I could have gone on and on with scriptures about the ways Father God cares for us. I hope you'll discover some for yourself and add to my list!
We are so blessed to be cared for by the father of us all.
ReplyDeleteYes we are!
DeleteI took me a long time before I realized that Jesus loved me as much as Peter, James and John - and that I was a known, precious daughter to God. It was a long, long journey - and I am so glad God took me on that journey so that I would truly know what it is like to be His girl! There's too many girls who don't know this truth!
ReplyDelete