Father Heart of God
Fran Woods
We need to experience God’s father heart towards us. What we know of a father’s heart is pretty pitiful. For some it’s as a tyrant who demands unquestioning obedience and who uses physical force or verbal abuse to achieve that obedience. For some it’s as a slave driver who requires “work” to pay one’s way. For some it’s like a school teacher requiring perfect scores. For others though there may be a physical presence, the father is emotionally absent. For many there is no father because of death, divorce, or other circumstance causing separation of the family.
Our experience of our own fathers’ hearts becomes our view of God’s father heart so that our sense his heart may be one or more of the following:
· He’s a tyrant waiting for me to put one foot out of place
· He’s violent and vengeful
· He’s distant and disinterested
· He’s unapproachable
· He doesn’t listen
· He only pays attention if I get all my ducks in a row
· He doesn’t care about me or what I feel
· He won’t help me, I have to figure it out myself
· He doesn’t like me (because I’m ugly, stupid, slow, lazy, fat, careless, a girl, a boy, not like him, whatever)
Psalm 103:13, 14 says, “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust.”
God is emotionally present, kind, loving, gentle, and understanding of our limitations. Our minds may know this but our hearts don’t.
Isaiah 9:6 “Mighty God, everlasting father …”
Matthew 6:9 “Our Father in heaven may your name be honored …”
*John 10:30 “The Father and I are one …” Look at Jesus to get a view of the father heart of God.
Romans 8:15 “Father dear Father …”
Hebrews 1:5 “Today I have become your Father …”
Ephesians 4:6 “Only one God and Father …”
Copyright © 2003 Fran Woods
This page was last updated 07/26/08