The book of Genesis describes the record of God’s creation.  From the very beginning God’s heart was to have a family in His likeness.  Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them”.  God wanted to be recognised as men’s Heavenly Father, enjoying the intimacy of fellowship with His children.  In the Garden of Eden, before the Fall,  Adam and Eve knew the intimacy of fellowship with God.  After they had disobeyed God and eaten of the forbidden fruit, that intimacy of fellowship with Him was broken.  In His eternal position of loving fatherhood, God has ever since sought to restore, and redeem, the broken family.

In the Old Testament we read about the old patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.  God’s message of fatherhood and families is clear.  We read how God preserved Jacob’s family in a time of famine, when they could have starved.  Joseph was divinely used to provide for them and restore the broken family.

God wanted to Father a people for Himself.  The twelve sons of Jacob became the twelve tribes of Israel, but again, history records their in-fighting and the kingdom was split.  More brokenness and division.  Man wanting his own way instead of God’s.

In the prophet Samuel’s day, the children of Israel wanted a king to rule over them, instead of God.  They rejected God’s fatherhood, desiring to be like all the other nations.  God granted their request and they suffered the consequences of their choice.  Many of the kings were ungodly and had little regard for the people.  More brokenness.

God is unchangeable.  His purposes will not be thwarted by men’s misdeeds.  The thread of His unconditional love and fatherhood can clearly be seen through history and culminates at Calvary.  Here, our Heavenly Father gave of His very self, in the form of His Son.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus walked among men on this earth, demonstrating God’s heart.  Jesus said, “He that has seen me has seen the Father” John 14:9.  Through Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary, God has made provision for redemption of the human race and restoration of His family.

Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might“. Before our salvation, we view this as a command.  But after salvation, the divine nature of Jesus is deposited in us with His incorruptible seed, and that nature no longer sees it as a command, but an automatic response to love Him.  We have been changed from above. Love begets love.  1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us”.  To love Him is no more a command, but a delight.

 

God desires us to know, and honour Him, as Father.  The more we see Him as He really is, the more we are changed.  He brings the change in me by the life of His Son.  We still have free will, our flesh still seeks preeminence over the spirit, but, as Paul said, “I die daily”.  That incorruptible seed within me will only grow in the environment of humility and surrender.  These are daily choices we make.  Let us make them with a glad and rejoicing heart to please our Father.

At times we have revelation moments when we see God in a new light.  He reveals Himself to us in various ways and circumstances.  These are precious to us and to be treasured.  As we follow on to know Him more, our Father places His desires in our hearts and fixes them there.  Hosea 6:3 declares, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord”.  God wants to be wanted!  He wants us to know Him as Father and have intimate fellowship with Him daily.  God does not put up with us.  In His unconditional love He forebears and is long suffering to bring us into our birthright in Christ, if we respond to His direction and loving correction.  In His foreknowledge He can see the changes He is going to bring about in us, to conform us to the image of His Son.

We live in a broken world, broken families and warring governments.  God’s final purpose is in redemption for all who will choose His provision and engage with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Not all will choose, but all will have opportunity.  Our Heavenly Father is also  the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator God.  This amazing, magnificent God has a true, father heart to every one of us.  Only when we fully realise this do we begin our journey of learning to trust Him in everything.  To fully trust Him as my Father I must let go of all the strongholds of my believing, all the strongholds of my right to myself.

He knows, He loves , He cares. This truth will never dim.

He gives His very best to those, who leave the choice to Him!

As we surrender and let go, we find our rest (Hebrews 4) in the arms of our Father, who wont let us go.  We learn to trust the everlasting arms of a Father who is, who He says He is, and I take my place in His redeemed, restored family.

Romans 8:15  “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption , whereby we cry, Abba, Father”.