FJ writes this month about Father’s Day and God.
- How important God the Father is in our lives.
- And how God the Father can help fathers with their children.
“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” — Proverbs 18:24
“Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him, and will dine with him and he with me.” — Revelation 3:20
The Father in You
He is our sticky Father! This Father gets inside you, doing an internal job of training. When His work as Father is completed, we’ll be ready for heavenly living. Comfort, peace, and joy continually replace fearful apprehension and spiritual obstinacy during this life. Changing people from the inside out creates harmony in personal life. When the inside part of us—termed the personal will—has a desire coinciding with the Father’s will, the good works displayed outwardly will speak beautifully of inner harmony. This inner harmony between our will and the Father’s removes conflicts between child and Heavenly Father, resulting in personal peace. The Father in us can perform life-changing work if we cooperate with Him. When we ask the Father of creation into our will, it brings us into an intricately intertwined relationship fostering family friendship.
The Heavenly Father injects friendship into the parent-child relationship. He is present in us and surrounds life for His children with constant, heart-warming, providential care. He is the Heavenly Father “who stands at the door” knocking on each heart store saying, “I’ll be the ‘friend who sticks closer than a brother.’” As He fills the empty places within and continually makes His Presence known, He comes so close that it’s akin to something sticky. When Varethane is on your skin, it’s very difficult to ignore; when fingers stick together, its presence is impossible to forget. Our Heavenly father relates miraculously with His children, continually amazing us with penetrating love and power and meeting life’s needs. His presence sticks to us in ways so unimaginable—according to worldly thinking—that He becomes very difficult to ignore.
As a model for fathers
God the Father’s example can be the greatest educational model for earthly fathers. Scriptures are filled with examples talking about God the Father. From just two examples, Proverbs 18:24 and Revelation 3:20, we can see some traits of God as Father that can be applied to fathers and their children.
- He is closely involved with every part of His children’s lives.
- He longs for friendly fellowship with His children.
- He is calling, “if anyone hears.”
- He “will dine” with all who take time to receive the spiritual nutrition He offers.
- His desire is that His children be together as He and Christ were (John 17:11) and are.
- His Presence is for our benefit.
As we close
Let’s remember our Heavenly Father today as we thankfully pray for all earthly fathers. May God the Father be with you.
Would you share a Father’s Day experience you had—as the child or the father?
See another of FJ’s Father’s Day articles.
For further information on Father’s Day and God, see Growing Faith’s article.
