Father To The Fatherless

Have you ever stopped to think about how crazy it is that God would call us His children?

I mean this is the same God who torched Sodom, caused the sea to fall on the Egyptians, brought down the walls of Jericho and broke the entire Philistine army to their knees by the swords of King David’s army. This is the God who created all that we know and all that is unknowable. The God who’s will is supreme above all things. Who’s sovereignty knows no bounds. The same God who controls the hearts of kings and rulers. The God who has never wondered, been unsure, been intimidated or frightened. The God who has never lacked anything, nor needs anything. He is the self-sustaining ruler of the cosmos. This is the God who our minds cannot comprehend, nor can we even begin to understand the power and majesty that He holds. Yet it is this same God who calls us His children, and desires that we call Him our Father.

That is amazing to me. God, with all this power, gives me the intimate privilege of calling Him my Father. He cares for me, loves me, disciplines me, and guides me through life. We Christians can often overlook this, I think. We can forget that God is our Father. Something that I think causes us to do what we see in society. I was very blessed to grow up in a home where my father showed me what it means to live as a Christian. Unfortunately, I know that there are many in our world—Christians and non-christians alike—who do not have an earthly father they can call their own. Whether he is absent, deceased, or physically present but not acting like he should, there are many who suffer from the effects of not having a father to guide and love them.

This is why it is incredibly important that we Christians stress the fact that we have a God who gives us the privilege of calling Him Father. He is a Father to the fatherless and a defender of the weak. He cares for and loves the downtrodden and scared. He comes to the rescue of the frightened and abused. He wraps His children in His arms and gives them peace when all seems to be falling apart around them. When earthly fathers fail and fall, the Lord comes and reminds us that He will never leave and He will never forsake us. This is what a good father does. No matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the situation is, He never leaves and He never stops being our Father.

This is very important to remember. Even when I am in sin and not living in a way that pleases God, He is still no less my Father. Yes, He will discipline me, but He does so because He loves me. I should never see His unfailing love as an excuse to sin, but rather a reason to strive for His pleasure. God never forsakes me nor does He ever stop being my Father. His love is not contingent on my performance. His love is based upon Himself. It’s about who He is, not who I am. I will fail, He never does. Even in my failings, He still allows me to call Him Father because that is what all good and loving fathers do. Anyone who tells you something different does not truly understand what it means to be a father.

This is something we can rest in. This is something we can hope in. Our Father will always be with us and will always desire us to call Him Father. Nothing can take that away from us. It is a right and a privilege that has been given to us. There is nothing that will shake our relationship with our Lord. He defends, disciplines, loves, comforts, directs, and cares for us in all things. He does this because He is a good Father. He shows us His heart and brings us into the family. He does this because He is a good Father. He gave us Jesus when we had done nothing to deserve it. He did this because He is a good Father. He is with us for eternity and is always there to call on. He is this because He is a good Father. So if you are among those without a father to speak into your life, remember this. You have a Father that loves you more than anyone. He will be there when the hurt is too much. He will be there when you are scared. He will be there when you feel as if you can go no further. He will be there because He is a good Father. He is the Father to the fatherless.

Dedicated to E.