Tag: The Father’s Heart

What Children Have Taught Me About The Father

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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 7:11.

I am not a mother. I am an older sister. I have spent years volunteering off and on in children’s ministry. I adore children. I love their candor. I love their sense of adventure and creativity. No one has told them to stop dreaming yet. They are for the most part carefree, full of energy and life! In interacting with children here are some things they have taught me about our heavenly Father.

1. The Father is patient. We know from scripture that God is perfect in patience. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, ~Psalm 103:8. Children make messes. They are curious. They can be selfish and self-centered. When I see a child acting as child I don’t scream at them, “Get it together, you are so awful and selfish.” There’s a part of you that knows the level of understanding a child has is far different from an adult. The goal in dealing with a child is teach them. God knows what we know and what we don’t know. He knows whether we are acting out of pure rebellion or ignorance. God is patient and wants to teach us. He knows we do not understand everything. He longs to lead us to maturity. He parents out of love. The goal is to help us not hurt us.

2. The Father delights in us. I love to watch kids be who they are. If they paint, it’s fun to paint with them. If they like a movie, it’s fun to sit down and watch one with them. If they have a school event or sport, you go to cheer for them. Their interests and success brings you great joy. You are their biggest cheerleader. How can we who fail to love perfectly, expect anything less from a perfect Father? God is excited when you win that game, achieve that goal. He is cheering from the heaven’s “That’s my kid!” He delights in us.

3. The Father loves quality time. I babysit sometimes for friends and it’s such a joy to spend time with kids. God loves to spend time with us!

4. The Father forgives. Children do things that are unwise. A loving parent says, “I love you because you are mine.” When we confess our sins to God, He is faithful to forgive our sins. He does not keep bringing up our forgiven sins. He says, “It’s over, get back out there and play.” We don’t abuse His forgiving nature by continuing to do what’s wrong because of His kindness. We seek to align our lives with His will for He is perfect, holy, and just.

5. The Father hates what destroys us. Sin is not only a big deal because God is holy. Sin is a big deal because sin destroys who and what God loves. Sin destroys us, it destroys relationships, it destroys families. Sin causes sickness, death, destruction, wars, affairs, and wages war like cancer in our souls. God hates sin; sin is aimed at killing us. The wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,~Romans 6:23.

My opinion: God doesn’t want to be in heaven without you so He sent His Son to redeem you. It cost Him greatly to pay for our sins. If I saw a child eating poison, I would run and do all that I could to stop them. God isn’t trying to ruin our fun. God is trying to save us from death. He also cares when things hurt us or we are suffering from living in a sinful world. He sent His Spirit to comfort, heal, and restore. You hurt, God hurts. He collects your tears.

6. The Father disciplines His own. Children need correction and direction. We don’t abuse them, hurt them, or mistreat them. We do point them in the direction they need to go; we lead them. God knows what works for every child. His parenting is tailored for every person. He does and will correct us if we are headed in the wrong direction, this normally starts with conviction (a nudging in the spirit that something is not right). He gives us the opportunity to repent. If we don’t listen, He continues to nudge us. God is perfect in knowing what to do. If we refuse His correction, He can and does let us jump head first off the cliff. If we turn around, He receives us with open arms (ex. Prodigal Son) and seeks to restore us. He does not seek to control or manipulate us. He seeks to lead and guide us.

Final Notes:

The Father loves you more than any parent could love a child. More than any person could or ever will love you. He wants to be with you more than you could ever want to be with Him. He cares about every single detail of your life. You were worth dying for. You are an extension of His heart. You were God’s idea. You are wanted, cherished, and cared for. I pray you bask in the Father’s love.

God will always love you!

God will always love you!

Misunderstanding the Father’s Heart

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So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him, Matthew 7:11.

I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses, Isaiah 63:7.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32.

Sweet friends, I wanted to talk about our heavenly Father. He is probably one of the most misunderstood members of the Trinity. He is often represented as out to get people, cold, stern, or everything He is not. Some say we must cling to Jesus for He protects us from our grumpy Father. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. The Father loves with the same intensity as the Son. They are one.

Some things to ponder.

  • You were the Father’s idea. Every person was a thought in His mind before conception (Psalm 139).
  • The Father sent His Son. I don’t know about you, but I would not send my son to die for people who were guilty.
  • Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing; the good we see in Jesus is also in the Father. Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does, John 5:19.
  • The Father wants us to have good gifts. Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”
  • Good gifts come from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,” James 1:17.

There are people who have taught that poverty and suffering is a sign of humility. Think about it this way. If you have/had children, how would them being poor, sick, hungry, depressed, or suffering make you look? It would make you look like a dead beat parent. Children’s services would probably come and take your kids if you did not feed them, clothe them, or care for them. Why do we believe God is a dead beat dad? Why do we think God wants us to have less than what we would give our children? Why do we think God is delighted with our sufferings?

The Bible says we will suffer for living in a sinful world. The Bible also tells us that we are more than conquerors through Christ who gives us strength (Romans 8:37). Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.“

Sometimes we take on the mind set that the will of God for our lives is to be miserable, poor, sick, and hurting until heaven. We are just making it through. There is a difference between suffering for preaching or teaching the Gospel and the suffering that comes from sickness, disease, poverty, lack, abandonment, abuse, or injustice. God isn’t sitting in heaven going, “10 million more of my kids died today from sickness, let’s party angels.” We read that the Father delighted in Jesus taking on our sins for we could be saved and He knew the grave would not hold His Son. The death and resurrection of Jesus brings life to many. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand, Isaiah 53:10.

I am not hear to state God is our genie in a bottle and whatever we ask, He is obligated to oblige. Nor am I stating walking with God is a guarantee of a life free of problems. It isn’t. In the world we do and will have trouble. I am stating God is a good Father. He wants to bless us. He cares about us. He wants us to dream. He wants us to enjoy life. He wants us to be a blessing…

If I am poor, I can not help the poor.

If I am unhealthy, I can not serve others well. My sickness brings no glory to the Healer.

If I am always depressed, I can not give hope to others.

If I hate life, I am not going to encourage anyone! Nor will I have the joy Jesus paid for.

If I am always in need, I can not effectively help those in need.

I know God does not want us consumed with the desire for things or blessings. He wants us to be consumed with passion for Him. He is the greatest blessing and reward. We cannot believe that in any way that it glorifies Him for His children to be poor, in need, in lack, sick, full of disease, hurting, or depressed. It sends a message to the world, “God doesn’t take care of His own.”

As we prepare for Easter, I pray we thank the Father for all He does and has done for us. I also hope we cling not only to our salvation, but embrace all Jesus paid for. We have a Father who gave His very best to save us. May we be free to dream with Him, embrace the beauty of life with Him, and enjoy Him. May we ask for more so we can bless more people. May we believe God is the Perfect Father and our desires touch His heart. Bless you friends, in Jesus name, Amen.