GOD'S WORD FOR EVERY NEED (part 3)

THE LOVE OF ALL LOVE

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

1 John 3:1 BSB

There is no greater joy in life than to know that God is our loving Father, yet many people, including those within the Church, have not experienced this unspeakable joy. Many have been wounded by their earthly fathers and, as a result, project their own experience of fatherhood onto God the Father. They then create God in their earthly father’s image—seeing God as an absent or abandoning parent. Others have a picture of God as a distant and vengeful Father. None of this is an accurate representation of the picture that Jesus paints. Jesus came to reveal the marvelous love of the Father. Yes God is King. Yes God is Lord. Yes God is Judge. But pre-eminently He is the Father who loved this orphaned planet so deeply that He sent His one and only Son to turn slaves into sons and orphans into heirs. This is the highest blessing of all—to know that God is the world’s greatest Father. If you have lacked a good father on earth, know this: you have a perfect Father in Heaven and He has extended His marvelous love to you in Jesus.

PRAYER

Father, I thank You that You are not remote but relational. Help me to enjoy a greater intimacy with You as I read these devotions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

GOD'S WORD FOR EVERY NEED (part 2)

OUR TRUE IDENTITY

And I will be a Father   to you,  and you will be sons   and daughters to me,  says the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:18 CSB

“You’ll be sons and daughters to me.”

Every good father has a dream for his children. In the previous devotion we saw part of God’s dream for us: “I’ll be a Father to you.” That’s been His plan since before the foundation of the world. But there’s more. Not only does God want us to know His true identity; He also wants us to know our true identity. If He is our Father, then what does that make us? If we choose to follow His Son, Jesus Christ, it makes us His sons and daughters. This is the greatest joy of all—to know that God is the Father we’ve all been waiting for, and to revel in the privilege of being His adopted sons and daughters. This is His dream for our lives. Let’s make it our highest goal to enter into the fullness of what it means to be the sons and daughters of the greatest Father of all. Let’s make it our life’s goal to be the best sons and the best daughters that we could possibly be to our Father in Heaven. This is the Father’s dream for our lives. Let’s make it our dream too!

PRAYER

Dear Father, I thank You that You’ve called me to be Your adopted child. Help me to build my identity on this wonderful honor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God's Word For Everyday Need

A HEAVENLY INVITATION

“I’ll be a Father to you.”

2 Corinthians 6:18 CSB

What is the most important verse in the Bible? Many people would answer, “John 3:16: God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” However, this verse from Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth can make a very big claim as well. In a way, the entire plan and purpose of God can be summed up in the words, “I’ll be a Father to you.” This has been God’s plan ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. When that happened, human beings became separated from the Father’s love. In effect, we became spiritual orphans—no longer able to relate to God as our Father. But thanks to Jesus, all that has changed! Jesus is the answer to our orphan state. He came into this world to die for our sins and adopt us into the Father’s family on earth. Now we can call God “Father” and rest in His arms of love. In this book of devotions, Jesus is inviting us to respond to these timeless words: “I’ll be a Father to you.”

PRAYER

Thank You, God, for Your invitation to know You as Father. With all of my heart I say “Yes,” as I begin this series of devotions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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