We are going to take another look at the first line of the Lord's Prayer to come to understand our God a bit better. Last time we spent time on the phrase, 'who art in heaven'. Today, it's going to be what comes before that, 'Our Father'.
So, what does it mean that God is our Father? There's much here, but I think what most Christians consider first is that God loves us. That is an aspect of the Gospel that we've all heard many, many times. It is something that we all need to reminded of quite often.
However, what I'm hearing lately is that there is a growing number of Christians who, without doubting the Father's love, wonder if He actually likes them. One reason that some wonder about this is that they have re-defined what love is. Evidently, 'to love' does not include 'to like'.
Well, it's obvious that we need to take a look at this thing called love and consider what it means that the Father loves us.
Consider a husband who wants to love his wife. She has a list of things that she would like done around the house - once known as the 'honey-do' list. He really doesn't want to do that, but he knows that he needs to love his wife. So, he starts in on that list. It is, he tells himself, something that he is supposed to do if he is going to love his wife as Christ loved the Church.
What have I just described? Is it love in action? Is that what is actually motivating this husband? Or is he motivated merely by a sense of duty, a sense of what he is supposed to do?
And what if we ask, 'Does that husband actually like his wife?' Though he is busy doing her good ('loving' her) by working on that list, you actually don't know if he likes her. Maybe he does, and maybe he doesn't.
Now, back to the Father's love. Is the Father's love for you something He does merely out of a sense of duty? Does it basically boil down to His obligation to work at keeping those promises He's made, just as the husband feels obligated to work at completing that list? If that's the case, then it makes sense to ask, 'Does the Father like me?', even though you know that He does many good things for you, that He 'loves' you.
The definition of love that is just about doing good to others is missing something, something very important. It's missing the emotional element of affection.
There are some passages of Scripture that have meant a great deal to me as I have worked at understanding the Father's love for me. Here's one.
So, what does it mean that God is our Father? There's much here, but I think what most Christians consider first is that God loves us. That is an aspect of the Gospel that we've all heard many, many times. It is something that we all need to reminded of quite often.
However, what I'm hearing lately is that there is a growing number of Christians who, without doubting the Father's love, wonder if He actually likes them. One reason that some wonder about this is that they have re-defined what love is. Evidently, 'to love' does not include 'to like'.
Well, it's obvious that we need to take a look at this thing called love and consider what it means that the Father loves us.
Consider a husband who wants to love his wife. She has a list of things that she would like done around the house - once known as the 'honey-do' list. He really doesn't want to do that, but he knows that he needs to love his wife. So, he starts in on that list. It is, he tells himself, something that he is supposed to do if he is going to love his wife as Christ loved the Church.
What have I just described? Is it love in action? Is that what is actually motivating this husband? Or is he motivated merely by a sense of duty, a sense of what he is supposed to do?
And what if we ask, 'Does that husband actually like his wife?' Though he is busy doing her good ('loving' her) by working on that list, you actually don't know if he likes her. Maybe he does, and maybe he doesn't.
Now, back to the Father's love. Is the Father's love for you something He does merely out of a sense of duty? Does it basically boil down to His obligation to work at keeping those promises He's made, just as the husband feels obligated to work at completing that list? If that's the case, then it makes sense to ask, 'Does the Father like me?', even though you know that He does many good things for you, that He 'loves' you.
The definition of love that is just about doing good to others is missing something, something very important. It's missing the emotional element of affection.
There are some passages of Scripture that have meant a great deal to me as I have worked at understanding the Father's love for me. Here's one.
Cast all your cares on him, because he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7
Ah, there it is, the missing emotional element. 'He cares about you.' His love is by no means some mere sense of duty. He cares about me. He cares deeply about me. And that's why I know that whatever is troubling me, He is ready to step right in and handle it. And He will do that because He cares. I have found great comfort in knowing this aspect of my Father's love for me. He cares.
And because He cares, other things follow. Here's another favorite verse.
And because He cares, other things follow. Here's another favorite verse.
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31
God is for me. The whole world might stand against me, even completely and violently stand against me, but I know that my Father is for me. I find that to be such a very powerful encouragement, something that keeps me going. He is for me. Amazing! This is another aspect of the love that the Father has for me.
So, the Father cares about me and He is so very for me. Is that it? Absolutely not!
So, the Father cares about me and He is so very for me. Is that it? Absolutely not!
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17
Now, let's go back and read that again and please notice the verbs.
He will rejoice over you with gladness. (He's happy about me.)
He will quiet you by his love. (He is tender toward me.)
He will exult over you with loud singing. (He is excited about me.)
I think that you can see why I don't wonder if the Father likes me. And that is something that you, my Christian brother or sister, shouldn't wonder about either.
The Father is not some obligated husband dutifully checking things off the most recent honey-do list. His love for you is more than a sense of duty, so much more. And that means that He likes you. He's emotional about you. He is eager to see you thrive. Remember these things when you offer up that prayer to Him.
'Our Father, (the One who really likes me)'…
The Father is not some obligated husband dutifully checking things off the most recent honey-do list. His love for you is more than a sense of duty, so much more. And that means that He likes you. He's emotional about you. He is eager to see you thrive. Remember these things when you offer up that prayer to Him.
'Our Father, (the One who really likes me)'…
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