The Father and His Children

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [adoption]. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15)

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2, Holman CSV)

“If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child and having God as his Father…For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God the Father.” (J.I. Packer, in Knowing God)

In the wake of Father’s Day, consider that Jesus, during his earthly ministry, related most frequently to God as “Father” in a way that we might say “Papa” or “Daddy.” This new, intimate approach to the Most High was radical, even revolutionary. Jesus opened the door not only for us to receive salvation and eternal hope, but also to know God more closely than had been previously imagined—to know Him as Heavenly Father. If our relationship with our earthly father has been stormy, strained or even nonexistent, it can be difficult to embrace God as a “father.” God knows this, and His heart of tender love and compassion is full to overflowing for the “fatherless.” Even if we’ve had a great dad on earth, the fatherhood of God is far deeper and richer still. All of us can come to know God more intimately as we soak ourselves in the many Scriptures that describe His incredible love and tenderness, His instruction and correction, His wisdom and guidance, and His embrace of all who are in Christ as “sons and daughters.”

Heavenly Father, we call you Father and thank you for lavishing your unfathomable love on us. For sending Your only Son as a sacrifice to rescue us from the power of sin and death, we are eternally grateful. We bless you and seek to glorify your name today. Amen.