Saturday, October 16, 2010
Of the names that God uses to describe Himself to us, could there be one any better than the one He uses in:
1 John 3:1a How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
THE ALMIGHTY GOD IS ... MY FATHER!
Who has more joy in the relationship, father or son? From a parental perspective Jesus conveys a universal truth in His Sermon on the Mount when He says, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him" (Matthew 7:9-11)!
Our Father in Heaven gives us everything in this life -- literally everything! That's why the rich word "lavished" is used. I regret that I have often failed to thank my Heavenly Father for all the blessings He has so graciously and so generously lavished upon me! I am spoiled compared to what I deserve for all the times I've disobeyed Him. That's what I find so amazing about this verse. We aren't questioning "How great is my Father's love?" We are stating an overwhelming truth: "How great!" "How amazing!" "How indescribable!" IS ... MY Heavenly Father's love for me! I am even more confident in His undeserved love for me because He gave His one and only Son Jesus Christ, who actually deserves His love, to die in my place.
Who has more joy in the relationship between Father and child? How great is MY love for the Almighty God who sacrificed His Son to make ME, His own dear child! This is what I am in Christ Jesus my Savior. MY Father has delivered me from being like a homeless orphan, by promising me through His Son an eternal home with Him!
Tomorrow I have the opportunity again to go to my Father's house. It's a time to spend rejoicing with brothers and sisters in the love our heavenly Father has lavished on us: to be called His children forever!
