Our Father in Heaven

 

The story is told of a king who was in his throne room, holding a council with his advisers and high ministers of state. Suddenly there was a bang and a clatter at the door of the throne room. All eyes turned as the door burst open and a young boy ran into the room. One of the king’s royal guardsmen tried to stop the boy. “Hold there, lad!” he shouted. “Don’t you know you’re disturbing the council of the king?”

“He’s your king,” laughed the boy, “but he’s my Daddy!” And the boy bounced into the open arms of his father, the king. As a child of the king he outranked any minister, ambassador or dignitary. He was the only person who would dare to wake up the king at 3:00 a.m. for a glass of water.

In the closing remarks of his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote, “Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever”( Phil. 4:20). Paul referred to God as “our God and father”. The term "our" simply personalizes. It also reminds us we are a family. The phrase "our Father" reminded them of the precious relationship they had with God. They belonged to him; they were part of his family.

For some people God is a distant force who has little input in their lives. Others think that God is an unloving judge that seeks only to be involved in one's life when punishment can be inflicted. Others see God as an apathetic Creator who created the world and left it alone to choose its own destiny. Others see God as a distant, unapproachable person. God is not a power, he is a person.

The fatherhood of God is not emphasized in the Old Testament.  God is called “Father” only a few times. In Isaiah the people cry out to God, “you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father” (Isa. 63:16). “You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isa.64:8).

In Jeremiah 31:20 the Lord declares “is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him.” David knew the personal nature of God. In Psalm 103:13 he says, “as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him”.

The writers of the Old Testament lay greater emphasis on our distance from God and the revere we should feel before him. God is revealed more as separate from us and beyond us; he is seen less as intimate. The fatherhood of God, rarely taught in the Old Testament, is strongly emphasized in the New Testament. Although God remained holy and majestic, Jesus added a strikingly clear emphasis on God as Father (John 20:17).

We relate to God at two levels. One, as our creator; God created all human beings (Deut. 32:6, Acts 17:26). This is the only relationship that some people have with God. Two, a loving father; when a person is born again he is adopted by God as a son (Gal. 3:26, Rom. 8:15). He joins the family of God and become joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:29). He gets family rights that guarantee him access to his Heavenly father, at any hour of the day.

Jesus revealed God not as a distant deity, but as a loving, heavenly Father. He referred to God as Father more than 60 times. He addressed him as "Father" in his prayers. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39). When outside the tomb of Lazarus, He said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me” (John 11:41).

The night before the crucifixion, Jesus began His prayer, “Father, the hour has come” (John 17:1). Jesus always addressed God as Father, and we are invited to experience a similar relationship with him. Fourteen times in the Sermon on the Mount, he referred to God as “your Father” (Matt. 5-7)..He told us to pray to God as our Father who hears and answers prayers; A father who cares and provides for us (Matt.6:9-13, 25-34; 7:7-11).

Some of the greatest questions in the human heart are: Is there anybody up there who knows my name?  Is there anybody up there who cares about me?  Is there anybody up there who watches over me?  And the answer to all these questions is, yes. If you are born again, God is your father. He knows you by name and he cares for you. When you talk to him he listens. When He speaks, you can recognize His voice.

In John 10 Jesus used the shepherd-sheep relationship to illustrate our relationship with him. He is our shepherd; we are sheep in his flock. He calls each sheep by name (v.3). He goes ahead of them as they face each day (v.4). The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. He cares nothing for the sheep (vv.12-13).

Jesus said “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.  Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; I lay down my life for the sheep (vv.14-15). My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me... they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (vv.27-30).

Jesus experienced the “care” of His heavenly Father during his earthly life. His father stayed near and cared for him even when those closest to him abandoned him. He was there with him no matter the danger (John 16:32). Believers throughout the ages have experienced the provision and protection of their heavenly Father. They have seen him keep his wonderful promise, “Even to your old age, I am He and even to gray hairs I will carry you! (Isa 46:4).

we have a Father in heaven who is completely “competent”, all of the time and in every way! He has the necessary, knowledge, ability and skill to be the perfect Father to us. God told Abraham and Isaac “I am El Shaddai (Gen. 35:11).  El shaddai  means more than Sufficient; The idea is that God's power and provision is “more than enough” to meet any need.

Whatever a perfect father on earth would do for his children, that’s what God in heaven will do for us. God is sovereign, holy, majestic and a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) and yet we call him father. We do it every time we pray–most of the time without even thinking about it. What an amazing privilege it is that any of us should call God ‘Father’.

When we rebel and go astray, God receives us back as a Father when in repentance we come home to him. He forgives us and rejoices over us (Luke 15:11-32).  He may discipline us for our good. In Hebrews 12:5-11 we are told that the Lord disciplines the one he loves and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. God disciplines us in order that we may share in his holiness.

Fatherhood came down to us from above“(Eph.3:14-15). God handed down to us his own vision for what fatherhood means. The godly father lovingly serves his family strengthened by his awareness that his own Father in heaven loves. The Bible says many things, both glorious and tragic things about earthly fathers.

Fathers can pass down a rich spiritual inheritance, binding their children’s hearts to God. Each generation does not have to relearn everything from scratch. A father can give his children a head start by passing along the old stories of what God has done( Ex. 15:2;  Ps.78:1-4). Fathers can also pass down a history of failure. Eli bungled a crisis in his family by failing to discipline his sons (1 Sam. 3:13).

A father must lead his family through life with unmistakable spiritual commitment (Deut. 6:4-9) . Father training, nurture and wise correction influence the rising generation (Eph 6:4). Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”. A father boldly claims his entire family for the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Colossians 1:10-12 is a powerful prayer that a father can pray for his child.

Discipline is an expression of a father love (Prov. 3:11-12). However, a loving father should be careful not to be impossible to please that he drives his children to the wall ( Eph 6:4). After all, God our compassionate Father, “remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:13-14). It is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

A godly father provides for his family according to their needs.  He responds to their requests with good gifts (Luke 11:11-13). 1Timothy 5:8 says that if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. A good father leaves an inheritance for his children’s children (Prov. 13:22).

A godly father will have a long-term impact on his children (Ps.127:3-5). To lead a family in the Lord is a beautiful experience for a father. But the happiest part of being a father is seeing your children in heaven someday. May we fathers be faithful moment by moment to pursue our high calling, by God’s grace and for his glory, and for the eternal happiness of our children.