Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Perfect Father

Do you have a perfect father? I know I don’t, and I know my children would say they don’t. However, there is a perfect Father – only One, and that is, God our Heavenly Father.

This past Sunday was Father’s Day. The Father most deserving of thanks and praise on Father’s Day is our Heavenly Father. He is perfect in the following ways and more:

1. Unconditional Love – No one can love us like God does. No one can truly love us unconditionally like God, because He knows all of our imperfections and yet, He still loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). He demonstrated His love by sending His own Son to die for our sins. And He wants His perfect love to motivate us to love Him back and live for Him. Paul said, “The love of Christ constrains me.”

2. Constant Faithfulness – God is faithful to His Word, faithful to His character, and can always be trusted to remain the same. Therefore, He is the best One to turn to for needs and questions.

3. Loving Discipline – When we get off track and out of His will, God loves us enough to discipline us. If He did not care, He would not deal with us when we get out of line. He disciplines us through natural consequences, circumstances, feelings, the inner promptings of the Spirit, other people, and various other methods. “The Lord disciplines those He loves” (Hebr. 12:6).

4. Abundant Provider – As a father, I love to give to my children. I love to bless them. If I as an imperfect earthly father love to bless my children, how much more does God as our Heavenly Father love to give us good things? God loves to bless His children. He loves to reward obedience. He promises to provide for all of our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

5. Strong Warrior – Every little child loves to proclaim, “My dad is stronger than your dad.” As children of God, we can proclaim that our Father is stronger than sin, Satan, and any obstacle that comes our way. We live under the mighty power of God. With our Father, all things are possible!

So many today are without a healthy earthly father. This is very sad and grieves the heart of God. However, there is a Perfect Father that all need, and all can turn to – His name is God the Father. Love Him, trust Him, turn to Him, yield to Him, and allow Him to be your Perfect Father.

“Sing to God, sing praise to His name,
extol Him who rides on the clouds--
His name is the LORD--
and rejoice before Him.
A Father to the fatherless, a Defender of widows,
is God in His holy dwelling.”
Ps. 68:4-5