Pictures of dads and kids always make us smile. It's such an important part of life to have a dad, to have a dad who loves you. So many in our world don't have a dad that loves them, many don't even know who their dad is.
The New Testament introduces a concept that was not a theme of the Old Testament- that God could be our Father, that we could talk to him as Father, as "daddy." Jesus taught this new concept in the gospels, and
for us in the church it doesn't seem foreign, but for the Jewish nation of the first century it was a big deal! They did not view God as "Father." They didn't feel that they had that kind of access to him, but Jesus used this language in the sermon on the mount and redefined the relationship God wants with his people- a relationship of Father and child. It was, and is a big thing to know that we can have an intimate relationship with the living God who made us. A relationship where we call our creator "daddy." Wow!
1Jo 3:1 What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it--we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to.1Jo 3:2 But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him--and in seeing him, become like him.
7 comments:
This is the hardest concept for me to get and to visualize. Maybe one day...
Getting to know Him seems tough at times. He gives us free will, yet when we do ask Him for certain things He doesn't seem to answer us. He can be mysterious at times.
My husband did "the right thing" at his job and has suffered for it ever since. Why should he have to suffer? I ask God to bless my husband, but everytime I do so things don't work out in his favor. I'm at the point now that when something good might happen to my husband I'm afraid to ask God to allow it to happen.
I think I get the whole Father concept, but I'm tired of begging and pleading for His help.
You are both on the right track of how hard this "father thing" with God is for us. May I use your wonderful comments on Sunday and hopefully answer the issue?
The adult response in me says yes, I would be honored, but what I'm really thinking is Wow! Mike wants to quote me! How cool is that?!
You can always quote me, though I think "sm's" comment was more in depth.
I can't get the father thing because of my earthly father. It is a scary thing to me to think of God as "father" - even worse to think of Him as "Daddy - Abba". The pictures you posted are sweet - but make me grieve for what I never had. I'll be anxious to hear your thoughts on Sunday!
To me, it seems answered prays for the most part, I see much later. Months or even years later, I look back and I can see how God had answered my prayers. Unlike how my earthly father was God is mysterious and He does answer and move in His own time and I don’t always see what He is doing at the time. I guess that is what has made the concept of God the Father hard for me. But I was blessed to have had a wise loving and caring earthly father and I am learning how much more I am blessed to have a loving and wise heavenly Father. Unlike my earthly father, my heavenly Father makes no mistakes. But at times I just have to look back…
You know I find that this is a much bigger issue in our lives as adults than I thought. I am realizing that each of us struggle with our concept of God framed by our earthly fathers in some way. It takes time in the word to get that view of God correct after being raised by fallen parents. Thank you all for the great comments.
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