Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Luke 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
YOUR FATHER
Jesus calls God the Father OUR Father. This is a reason not to be afraid.
In the world we live in, some people may hear that and say, "I want nothing to do with a father." Perhaps their father didn't take care of them. Perhaps their father didn't love them. Maybe he abused them, or abandoned them. In this world corrupted with sin, fathers often don't live up to what they should be.
I'm just as guilty as any other father. We're imperfect fathers, each of us. We're impatient. Sometimes we raise our voices instead of raising our children. Maybe we ignore our children to pay attention to things vastly less important than our kids. We could go on and on talking about our failures as fathers.
But God the Father is not an imperfect Father. He's the only one who gets it right every time. He is everything a Father should be. He takes care of his children. He guards them and protects them. He raises them to know the truth.
God is the father of all people in the sense that He is their creator. But for those who trust in the Father's Son, He is their Father in another sense too. He is the one who not only made them and gave them life, but also the one who is remaking them and has given them spiritual life through His Son Jesus.
When we say the Lord's Prayer we begin with these same fear-dispelling words, "Our Father, who art in heaven". We say "Our Father", not, "O Creator". He is the one who loves us and cares for us when we're nothing but trouble. He is the one who cares for us even when we lash out at him or ignore him. He is the one who is patient with us and ever loving because His Son was ever giving.
Do not be afraid, sons and daughters in Christ, for YOUR Father is God.
