I’m going to move aside from straight teaching for one day to address something that I believe needs to be addressed.  Someone confronted me yesterday with something I already knew about myself, but for some reason this time it hit home a little deeper.  One of the biggest barriers in our relationship with our Heavenly Father is our relationship with my earthly fathers.  I think it is very difficult to preach reconciliation to God as the greatest good of the gospel, without addressing how God is altogether different and good from what we may have experienced in our earthly fathers.  This is not about me, but I want you to be encouraged because to varying degrees none of our earthly fathers modeled for us who God is, His perfect character.  Likewise, if God wills that I become a father, I will not model perfectly the goodness of God either.

I want to encourage you to do two things.  First, if were were so blessed to have an earthly father, to love and shepherd you well, pointing you consistently towards Christ, take a moment today to thank both God and him.  You have been blessed more than you know.  If, like most of us, that was not your experience growing up, take time today to forgive that person from your heart, knowing that we all are fallen sinners in need of grace.  Then ask God to extend even more grace to you, that you would know God rightly as your Heavenly father, in spite of that apparent deficiency.

Second, if you have trusted Christ as your savior and you love God as your treasure above all else, then engage Him today, in the Word, to know Him clearly as your Heavenly Father.  He is good, loving, always ready to forgive and receive you back, wanting only what is good for you.  Look at the character of Jesus in the gospels, knowing that the character of Christ is that of the Father, they are one.  Don’t you want to be reconciled to Him, to know and enjoy Him as your Heavenly Father more and more for all eternity?  I hope so, and I hope your time in the Word with Him today is a comfort and blessing to you.

Luke 11:11-13 – “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Grace and Peace,
Adam