It is a sad fact but it is true,” writes John Nagle, “when people today hear of God being referred to as ‘father’ it often creates more mental barriers than open hearts. Unfortunately for more and more in our culture, the term ‘Father’ causes individuals to think of someone who was absent, abusive, addicted, or all of the above.”
Yet God is not a man who can be weakened by failures and scarred by the passions of the flesh. So can the thought of God being our Father be redeeming for those who didn’t have a good relationship with their earthly fathers? What does it mean when you address God as Father?
First, you have a relationship with Him. The relationship of a father to a child can come through natural generation or adoption. From the days of Roman law to the present, courts recognize both as having equal force, but adoption brings with it a beautiful picture.
Our relationship with God also brings intimacy, a connection whose links are chains of love and compassion. God knows what we need even before we ask. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He taught that we are to look to our heavenly Father for “our daily bread.”
Recognizing God as Father means knowing that He will be there for you. He sent His Son to show you the way back home. Don’t base your relationship with the Father on what the world tells you about Him, but on what His Word tells us He is.
Used with permission from Guidelines Philippines, Inc. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, please write to Box 4000, 1280 Makati City, Philippines or e-mail address box4000@guidelines.org. You may also visit our website at www.guidelines.org.