The Good Father

                                                                                                                                  

Aloha Dearest Family,

God is a very good Father! God epitomizes what a great father should be through countless examples found in His Word. Those of us who are parents want to love, guide and shape our children into becoming good and giving men and women who can in turn teach their children to be the same. God is the ultimate example that we should follow.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;” (Ephesians 5:1 NAS)

 Israel, God's chosen people, knew God by many different names, but when Jesus Christ came, he started to reveal a new attribute to God's nature - that of a good father. This was something new to Israel, even though God continually made fatherly references throughout the Old Testament scriptures. Let us look at one of these references.

“My son, attend to my words;..”  (Proverbs 4:20)

This section of scripture was written by Solomon, the wisest man, to his son. But in a truer sense, they are words of instruction from God Almighty to His children. In this verse, what are we to attend to? The Father's words.

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart."

The ear refers to what we listen to. The eyes refer to what we look at. The heart refers to the innermost part of the mind. In essence God is instructing us to listen to His Words, continually look at His Words, and then retain them in our thinking so that they sink down into our minds and they become what we believe. Why are we to do this? Other than this being a good idea, the reason is stated in the next sentence.

"For they (God's Words) are life unto those that find them, and health (healing) to all their flesh."

 God's very words are life and healing. Yes, God's Words can heal you. These are the by-products upon hearing, looking at and meditating on God's Word. God gives us these instructions not to add rules and regulations to our lives, but so that we can live in complete well being. What a good Father He is!!

God's Word tells us the qualities that make Him a good father.

-He helps us.                             Psalm 54:4
-He guides us.                           Psalm 48:14
-He reproves and corrects us     II Timothy 3:16
-He teaches us.                          Psalm 32:8
-He holds us by the hand.         Isaiah 42:6
-He gives us good things.          Matthew 7:11

Finally, one of the greatest benefits provided to us by our heavenly Father, is the privilege to come back to Him after we have strayed. 

As seen in the parable of the prodigal son, one son leaves home after receiving his inheritance. After a famine in the land, he ends us feeding pigs and finds himself starving. He then makes the final decision to go back to his father (Luke 15:11-32). When he does go back home, the forgiving father, seeing him afar off, runs to him, embraces him and restores him to full legal status in his household. When we have strayed away from God's goodness, we can feel confident that we can also come back to our heavenly Father. You can walk a thousand steps away from God, but it is only one step back to Him. This is truly one of the sweetest pleasures of being a son or daughter of God. God is truly the best father.

                          Love Always, Ray