This week in the United Kingdom many celebrated Father’s Day. To show appreciation and give honor to a loving, earthly father is a privilege not all experience in this day and age. However, for those who have been reborn in Christ, we can all rejoice in our heavenly Father and His great love for us. In the kingdom of God, every day is Father’s Day. As each day unfolds, it bristles with opportunities to acknowledge our heavenly Father who fills the gap left by our earthly father, however good, or bad our experience. Until you experience God and His love, you know nothing of the divine love God extends to each of us, yes, everyone without exception. If this has not been your experience as yet, then pray to the Father and ask that He reveal Himself to you.
Jesus came to show us the Father. Every attribute of God is found in the fulness of His Son, Jesus Christ. John 14: 7-9 records Philip asking Jesus to show the disciples the Father. Jesus replies: “…….he that has seen me has seen the Father”.
To know that we are loved unconditionally is our birthright in Christ Jesus. We cannot do anything to stop Him loving us. We cannot do anything to make Him love us more. 1 John 4:8 is a profound statement: “…..God IS love”. God loves because He IS love! We are a new creation in Christ Jesus after we enter in the door of salvation, loved by the Father, loved by the Son and together we can walk through this life.
The gospel of John and the epistles of John demonstrate God’s love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
There is a rooting and grounding in the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. The apostle, Paul, prayed: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, length, depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God”, Ephesians 3: 17-19.
How do I respond on a daily basis to this profound love God has to me? It is so easy to become familiar and trespass, walking rough shod over this holy ground. The expression “taking for granted” comes to mind. David prayed: “Teach me your way, O Lord, …..give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name”, Psalm 86:11(NIV). When my heart is united with the Lord’s, undivided, then I will not give place to complaining and murmuring about my daily portion, whatever befalls. This heart purity is a gradual process to be worked into a life that first seeks to please the Father, as He is teaching us His ways. Do you want to SEE God in your life? Then seek Him in every situation. Crown Him as Lord of every situation, not the devil. Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”, Matthew 5:8. Our hearts are purified when we refuse complaining and acknowledge our Father is in full control of any passing storm. Jesus is right there in the boat with us, no tempest can destroy Him.
I cannot glorify God with a divided heart, but when my heart is united with His, the abundant life of His Son can flow unrestricted through me, His love child, bringing glory to His great name. “Of Him, through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be glory forever”. Romans 11:36
The hymn penned by Stuart Townend reminds us of our Father’s deep love for us. The first verse follows:
How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss – The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One, bring many sons to glory.
May we daily reflect on our Father’s deep love for us, vast beyond all measure, and give Him the only acceptable response, an undivided heart, united with His as He daily teaches us His ways……..so much higher and superior to ours! Let us make every day our Father’s day, just as Jesus demonstrated as He walked this earth.
Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash
