Today is Father’s Day. What kind of father do you have? Did he mentor you? Did he offer good advice? Did he take an interest in you and give you direction and wise counsel as you considered major life decisions? Did he provide financially and physically for you? Did he protect you from harm? Did he provide an honorable picture of how a man cares for and treats his wife?
Obviously not all fathers do those things. We know men who didn’t and we have friends whose fathers did not take the role of fatherhood seriously. But we also know that some fathers are good fathers and some fathers do provide a good example to follow.
Now consider this — if your father, who is a sinner (and “evil,” Mt. 7:11) does good things and treats his children well, then how much more will your Father in Heaven do for you?
I have quoted this verse in Matthew many times, but I have not often thought as deeply about God’s role as Father as I could have. Consider, for instance, the kind of Father the New Testament tells us God is:
- God is a Father who is in Heaven (Mt. 5:16; 6:9) — He is ruling and reigning as a sovereign Father
- God is a Father who is perfect (Mt. 5:48)
- God is a Father who sees all — even acts done in secrecy (Mt. 6:4)
- God is a Father who forgives (Mt. 6:14-15)
- God is a Father who knows our needs (Mt. 6:32)
- God is a Father who gives us what we need (Mt. 7:11)
- God is a Father who is sovereign over time and history (Acts 1:7)
- God is a Father who has given us the Son and Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 4:9-10; Acts 2:33)
- God is a Father who is the giver of peace (Rom. 1:7)
- God is a Father who is worthy of glory and worship (Rom. 15:6; 1 Cor. 8:6)
- God is a Father who has given us access to Himself (Eph. 2:18)
- God is a Father who has adopted us as your sons (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:1-6)
- God is a Father who is our Father (Mt. 6:9)!
If God is your Father, just what kind of Father do you have!
Words of Grace 