Ephesians 6:2 (ESV)
“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first
commandment with a promise)
God Almighty is our Heavenly Father, and He is the
perfect example of what it means to be a dad. Looking at each of the letters
that make up the word "father," consider some of the characteristics
that set Him apart and provide a model for our human dads.
F -Forgiveness is a huge part of your relationship with
your Father. He is willing and able to forgive you of any sin you commit if you
will only ask Him. It's comforting to know that nothing you do is ever so bad
that God won't forgive you (Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 1:9). Now, that's
unconditional acceptance.
A -He is active in your life all the time. God is always
at work around you. Ask God to show you what He is doing. You will be amazed at
all that is going on. More important, the invitation is open for you to get
involved with Him. You never have to wait for your turn to be active with God
(John 5:17).
T -Time for you. While humans get too busy to do this or
that, God always has time for you. Whenever you feel lonely, struggle with a
problem, want to share a thought, or need to deal with a concern, He is there
for you. You can't find a time in your day when He is too busy to talk or
listen to you (Jeremiah 33:3).
H -The heart of the matter is that God knows your heart,
and He loves you anyway. Proverbs tells us that the heart is deceitful above
all things. Many people don't like to be around you if you aren't in a good
mood or if you make mistakes. God wants to hang out with you anytime, and He
alone is able to change your heart to be all you were created to be (1 John
4:9-10,19).
E -Everywhere sums up God's place in your life. If you're
a Christian, there is nowhere you can go where He isn't with you. It can be
encouraging to realize that when you are in a tough place in your life, He is
right there with you. Whether other people are there or not, God is by your
side (Romans 8:35-39).
R -Rest and Read. These are two areas where most people
could use a little work. Rest is important to you because it's easy to become
so busy that you don't take time with the Lord. He wants you to set aside daily
time to rest in Him and to read His Word. The Bible is His letter to His
children. The best way to get to know your Father is to spend quality time
resting and reading all about Him in the Word (John 14:21; Psalm 46:10).
All these attributes of God's character make Him who He
is. If you have been blessed with an earthly dad who has a lot in common with
our Heavenly Father, be grateful. If you have missed out on a relationship with
an earthly dad, be thankful that God is there for you and wants to meet the
needs in your life. Let God know how much He means to you.
Dear Lord, we thank You for being our Father. Help us to
honor You each and every day. Today we want to thank You for the fathers that
You have given to us. Help us to honor them in a way that is pleasing to You.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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