Wes Martin Pastoral Staff
At His first coming, Jesus declared to the world that the God of heaven and earth is a Father who so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die so that He may inherit a family by the sacrifice of His Son (John 3:16) and that these new sons and daughters might experience true forgiveness and redemption. For so long throughout the Old Testament the truth that God had a heart of a father wasn’t so clear, or at least it seems that it was mostly missed by many religious leaders. Yet this beautiful truth was boldly and clearly declared by His Son Jesus. As Jesus taught the multitudes and His own disciples, He was very intentional about speaking of God as His Father, your Father, and our Father. In these crowds and newly taught students God was mostly known as the Creator-God, the Holy One, the Majesty on High, a God who was all-powerful. But intimate like a father? This was new information, and I’m sure that His audience, like us, took some to time to really wrap their minds around it.
Two verses in the Bible can have a different impact when you change one word; the word God to the word Father. Genesis 1:1 could read “In the beginning the Father…” and John 3:16 could easily read, “For the Father so loved the world.” As we consider the truth that we are to relate to God as our Father, as Jesus insisted, we must begin to look at several places in the Bible and consider Him a Father, One that has real tangible affection, feeling and compassion for His children.
Consider these verses that speak of God’s delight and rejoicing heart of those that fear Him.
Psalm 16:3 As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all My delight.
Job 33:26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy.
Proverbs 8:30 I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.
I’ve learned to approach these Bible verses as the description of what my Father in heaven is like and how He feels about me. I entertain the idea that He delights in me! He takes pleasure in me. He rejoices over me. I write my name in those verses to where it reads “as for Wes who lives in St. Louis, he is my excellent one in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16:3).
This can seem cute but this is real and powerful and can transform our relationship with God. I speak it so my ears can hear this incredible truth. Soon I begin to believe it! When our hearts begin to be firmly established in the truth of how God is a loving Father and how He feels towards us we’ll become bold and confident sons and daughters. I want to encourage you to do what I did, insert your name into one of those verses and exercise faith that God is your Father in heaven.
Why does my Father feel this way about me? Because I’m His son and He’s my Father. That’s it.
I ask myself why? Why does my Father feel this way about me? Because I’m His son and He’s my Father. That’s it. Jesus said it best in John 17:23 You (Father) have loved them as You have loved Me. This is it! The love that God the Father directs towards Jesus is the love in which He loves you and me. I like to say it like this: the way God the Father loves God the Son is the SAME way God loves Wes. Unthinkable! He’s a Father that has fiery love for His sons and daughters. He likes us, He’s for us and He’s zealous to be our Father in whom we find our strength, our comfort, our hope and our security. The Apostle John exclaims in 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God!
I’m a dad of four and I can tell you there’s nothing that could keep me from taking joy in my two sons, Owen & William or my two daughters Maci & Nia. When I think of them I’m filled with affection, gladness and pleasure. They’re not of the age to where they can do a lot of work to earn my love or my approval. They don’t have to. They’re my kids and I’m their dad. Therefore I’m full of love and affection for them. And if this love is coming from me, a mere man who is broken and much less than perfect, how much more our Father in heaven? (Matthew 7:11)
God is a Father. He loves us. Be blessed.
Wes Martin