I mentioned in Father, Part 1 that over the past year God has been emphasizing to me that He is a loving Father. In my Hooked on Hebrew class with Rebecca Levas I learned that the word Father is made up of the Hebrew symbols for "Strength of the House." And the word love comes from the symbols "Strength of the house revealed." Thus, love is "The Father Revealed."
I have studied the Names of God and knew him in a myriad of ways - especially as El Elyon - the Most High, and El Shaddai - the all-powerful, our all-sufficient supply, bestower of power, gifts, blessings, and whose power no enemy can withstand, and Elohim - the Supreme Creator, Mighty, Preserver, Keeper of His covenant.
Having been raised in the Catholic church I knew he was “God the Father,” but my picture of him was more distant - a majestic king on a throne - and I saw him as judging all I did as right or wrong. I mostly focused Jesus. I've realized that God the Father got a bad rap —he is actually loving, having sent his only son to die in my place.[Note: In fact, it’s Jesus—not the Father— who will judge the living and the dead!]
So over the past year I‘ve been challenged to correct my view of God the Father - to see Him as loving and kind—and to feel safe that He selected me, saved me, keeps and protects me. I began to see references to my heavenly Father all throughout scripture—things I’ve read for years but never got deep down inside. And I realized how many time Jesus refers to his relationship with the Father - amazing! The idea that It’s the Father’s GOOD PLEASURE to give me the kingdom brought tears to my eyes - I knew in my head that he would give his kingdom but I forgot that it was his GOOD PLEASURE to give it - even to me!
Here are some of the things I've learned about my heavenly Father this year:
GOD THE FATHER IS ON THE THRONE — JESUS AT HIS RIGHT HAND
“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days (Father) took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” Dan 7:9-10
“Exalted to the right hand of God, He (Jesus) has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” Acts 2:33
And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:62
GOD IS MY FATHER — HE ADOPTED ME
“[God is] the Father from whom all fatherhood derives its name.” (Ephesians 3:15)
“I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18 & 2 Samuel 7:14)
“O Lord you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hands.” (Isaiah 64:8)
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, `Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:15-16
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us…. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his [children].” (Ephesians 1:3-5)
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1) “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!..“ 1 John 3:1
MY FATHER SAVED ME
“For God (the Father) so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
MY FATHER CELEBRATES ME
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him… But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:20b, 22-24)
“[The Father] guarded him as the apple of his eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10)
MY FATHER CAN DO ANYTHING
“Now to [the Father] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
MY FATHER VALUES & CARES FOR ME
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing.” (Psalm 68:5-6)
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 18:12-14
MY FATHER GAVE ME HIS SPIRIT
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor [or Comforter] to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth.” (John 14:16)
MY FATHER GIVES GOOD GIFTS
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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!” Matthew 7:11-12
“Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:4)
I ASK MY FATHER FOR WHAT I NEED
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)
“The Father will give you whatever you ask in [Jesus’] name.” (John 15:16)
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” Matthew 6: 9-13
JESUS AND MY FATHER ARE ONE
“The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:25-30
JESUS SHOWS ME THE CHARACTER OF MY FATHER
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:9
JESUS IS THE WAY TO MY FATHER
“Through [Christ] we… have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18)
“Jesus answered, `I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me John 14:6