"As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him." Psalm 103:13
A number of years ago my brother and his wife tragically lost their youngest son. Overcome with grief, my sister-in-law rushed to her parent's home for comfort; specifically to her father.
Unfortunately, her father failed to react in the way she had hoped. He was on his way to the hardware store to buy paint and invited her to come along. In her own words:
"I didn't want to go to the hardware store to buy paint. I wanted to crawl up onto his lap and be held in his arms. I wanted him to tell me everything was going to be okay. It was in that moment that the thought struck me. I had gone to the wrong father. My Heavenly Father was the father I needed."
Her words touched me profoundly, for I have had a similar experience. I didn't have a close relationship with my earthly father. In fact, I had no relationship with him at all. I really didn't understand or know a father's love; a father's compassion. There was an emptiness inside of me that needed to be filled with the love of a father, and I found that love when I gave myself to Christ. For the first time in my life (and I was an adult by then) I knew fully the unconditional love of my Heavenly Father. My heart fell in love with Him, and this love has only deepened over the years. He has never failed me. Not once.
I'm certain my sister-in-law's dad didn't intend to hurt his daughter's feelings. He just didn't know how to comfort her in her deepest need. Only God the Father could do that.
Lamentations 3:22-23 says it best:
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness."
This is our Faithful Father. He is truly the right father!
Today's music video Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin reminds us of the perfect goodness of our Heavenly Father.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
I was blessed with a wonderful earthly father who pointed me to my heavenly Father. Very moving post!
ReplyDeleteA very great blessing, indeed, Mari. Doubly blessed that your earthly father pointed you to God. How precious! ♥
DeleteNancy, so many times I have struggled with the father issue, having not had a close relationship with my earthly father either. In my case, it impacted the way I thought of God. My father demanded perfection was quick to punish, so that's how I saw God. It was really difficult to realize that my Heavenly Father was different. It has been a long process, but always moving in the right direction. I look back on what God has done in my life, and I realize that His love is not conditional. I know my father did what he thought was right, but God gets it right every time! How tragic for your brother and sister-in-law to lose a child...
ReplyDeleteKaren, I have heard Bible teachers comment so often on this very thing you mentioned. That our views on God the Father often begin with the relationship we had with our earthy fathers. I saw God the Father as very distant. Unapproachable. Indifferent. Unloving. When Jesus said if you know me, you know the Father, I began to comprehend the truth about God and to come to know the Father as the loving, generous, gracious Abba Father that He is. All that and so much more. So glad you found that, too! I appreciate your sympathy for my brother and sister-in-law. The pain goes deep, and they have a beautiful testimony of God's compassion and care. Now they just learned that their oldest son (they have three sons. . .counting the one that is in Heaven), has stage four cancer. Long story. Please say a prayer for the family as they go through this. God bless you, Karen.♥
DeleteSuch a meaningful lesson although heart wrenching. Oh, that we might know more and more the love of our Father and in turn love Him more and more.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Ellen!!!♥
DeleteBeautifully shared Nancy - as always! I was blessed with an incredible earthly father, and I am grateful, as Mari, that we had such a great relationship. My heart aches for those who never got to experience a wonderful earthly father. However, what a precious thing it is to have our Heavenly Father who is always there, who loves us so much, and He is able to meet every need we have, something our earthly father could never do. Yes, He is a Good Good Father!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Marilyn. One thing I want to say about earthly fathers, is that although I did not have a father like yours, I did have the experience of watching Jim, my late husband, father our son. He was an exceptional father (and husband), and I am forever grateful to the Lord for that. ♥
DeleteI wasn't blessed to have a father here on earth that was a mirror for our Heavenly Father. I am so blessed to know that my Father in heaven loves me unconditionally. He sacrificed His only Son for me! That is unconditional love.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a wonderful post!
Blessings,
Betsy
I will definitely be praying for your nephew and your family. I have a "Men Monday" and a "Women Wednesday" prayer list and have added them to be praying for.
ReplyDeleteThe Right Father. Oh man, that hits my heart! Such good wisdom, Nancy!
ReplyDelete