Who is this describing?

They are a part of you whether you like it or not. They affect you whether you are/were close or not. You will always be connected to them whether they were a constant part of your life or not. They impacted who you are today even if you’ve never met them. You love them – except maybe when you can’t stand them. For better or worse, he is your…                                    …dad

For many, the relationship they have/have had with their dads is not a pleasant one. Perhaps this is due to the lack of warmth shown by a father or from their not being around very much or even worse from their abandoning and deserting the family. Such relational difficulties in our everyday relationships make it all the more striking that the Scriptures repeatedly call us to address God as Father.

However, in contrast to our earthly fathers, the God of the Bible is presented as a father who is always good, forever loving and wonderfully kind. Nowhere is this most apparent than in the generous gift God gave to reconcile us back to Himself. In the story of the prodigal son we get a glimpse of this loving God. The son in the story had wished his father dead, taken his share of his father’s inheritance, squandered it and then, in a state of despair, come back home. Rather than chase his son away or give him the cold shoulder the father welcomes him, embraces him and throws a lavish party for him. This is what our Father is like – apparently reckless in His generosity and overflowing in His love. The Apostle Matthew puts it like this:

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Many today would struggle to connect the word good with the word father. That is understandable given the widespread family breakdown in our society. However we have and can all know the perfect Father. A Father who will never leave us nor forsake us. A Father who loved us so much He was prepared to give us His all, to bring us back to Himself. May we know the love of this good Father as we trust in His Son, Jesus Christ.