“A Father’s Love”
June 17, 2012
Isaiah 63:16:
“But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.”
When you hear the word ‘father’ what feelings does it stir in you? Love? Pride? Fear” Anger? Disappointment? Father’s Day is a day that we set aside to honor our fathers – and we want to do that today. The Godly father is a rare and special man – and we do want to honor him. But the fact of the matter is that not all of us have had an honorable father. Some of you have or had a father who deserted you; some of you have a father who abused you; some of you have a father who neglected you. Some of you didn’t have a father – you had a sperm donor. Father’s day does not elicit any fond emotion for you – maybe just anger. Fact of the matter is that none of us had the perfect father – not even MY kids. All fathers do dumb things, make mistakes, don’t meet your needs as you would like. But in spite of that – the Bible tells us we are to honor our fathers. One of the ten most important commands in the Bible tells us that – and there is a blessing of long life if we do.
Consequently, it is good and appropriate that we honor our fathers. We thank God for them – in spite of their flaws and failings. It does something to our heart; our spirit; our soul; when we do that. It speaks of forgiveness and compassion and self-disciple when we do that. Those are godly attributes. And God wants us to exercise our wills to honor our Fathers. I hope you can do that this morning. But this morning I want to tell you about a Father’s love. A Father that loves you so much it is beyond comprehension.
In our Scripture, a man; a prophet who knew God intimately, refers to Him as Father. Isaiah says, “You are our Father... You, Lord are our Father.” Jesus taught us to pray to “Our Heavenly Father” or “Our Father in heaven”. So, understand that you may have had an earthly Father – but you also have a heavenly one as well. And this Father is perfect in every way. Let me share some ways that our Heavenly Father loves you.
First of all, He has fantastic plans for you. One of my favorite verses in the Bible says,
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
A good father always has wonderful plans for his children. Some plan on their sons or daughters following the family business. How many businesses add that little line “and son”. Some want their children to attend the same school or college they attended. Nearly all fathers dream of a better future for their children. And that instinct comes from our Heavenly Father. Have you ever stopped to realize that God, not only knows everything about you and everything about your future – but that He has special plans for you. The Bible reveals that you have been given special gifts and talents for a divine purpose. David said,
“...all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16
God knows all about you – and loves you anyway! Not only that, but He has plans for you in this life and in the life to come. The Bible says that we will rule and reign with Christ one day. We will be God’s princes and princesses. I don’t know all that God plans for you – but what I do know is that it will be fantastic! Your Heavenly Father is making wonderful plans for you. God, the Son, said,
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3
Your Father has a plan and that plan includes a place for you!
Here’s another thing you need to know about your Heavenly Father’s love. Secondly, He will never leave you. He will never desert you. He will never forsake you. He will never abandon you. God says,
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrew 13:5
Jesus said, “...surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20
There has never been an age in history where there are more absentee dads than in our age. Divorce, the hedonistic lifestyle, self-centeredness – call it what you want – but there are more single parent homes and more single moms than ever before. For whatever reason, fathers are not sticking with their families. When I was growing up there were a lot of families held together for the sake of the kids. No more. Too many fathers seem to have no remorse, no guilt in neglecting or even in abandoning their children. “Let the mother raise them. Let the state raise them.” Is what their actions say – if not their words. The Bible says,
“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Timothy 5:8
And because fathers don’t take responsibility - the government takes over and totally makes a mess of it.
Well, I have good news. I know a Father that will never leave you or forsake you. You may leave HIM – but He will never leave or abandon you.
Here’s another thing about your Father’s love, thirdly, He will always provide for you. Jesus said,
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:9-11
David said, “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalm 37:25
In the Hebrew language God’s people had a special name for this side of God. It was “Jehovah Jira”. It means “The God who provides”. This is the nature of God. It is God’s nature; it is our Heavenly Father’s nature to provide for His children. As with earthly fathers, God can not and will not give us what we want if we are in rebellion with Him. He can not and will not provide for us if we do not want it or ask for it. But for those who walk in a loving relationship with their heavenly Father – He WILL provide for you. Not only that – but He will be generous with you. That’s His nature.
Now I am not a ‘health and wealth’ preacher who says you can manipulate God for your own selfishness. But I do believe there is a natural consequence of walking in love with our Father – and it is good. I also think He lets us go through times of trial and hardship to build our trust. So if you are going through times of leanness, check to make sure you are in the right relationship with the Father – and if you are – just hold on. Walk in faith and the blessings will soon come. You have a Father who LOVES to provide for you! He LOVES to come to your rescue. He LOVES to bless you.
Here’s another aspect of the Father’s love. Fourthly, He always protects you. You say, “WAIT a minute! I’ve read the Bible. I’ve read ‘Foxe’s Book of Martyrs’! I see a whole lot of people dying for Jesus! That doesn’t look like He protects to me!”
That’s because you are looking at things from a temporal or earthly perspective. And even then, we see so many times when God miraculously protected His people. But our Father is more interested in the BIG plan; the eternal plan; the spiritual plan - than He is with our temporary earthly situation. This is just basic training for the big party that going to happen. But even then the Bible promises,
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
God’s grace; God’s enabling power is always sufficient. If we are privileged to die for our Heavenly Father, He will provide the strength necessary for us to be victorious. Think about the three Hebrew Children who were cast into the fiery furnace. Think about Daniel being thrown into the lions den. Think about David facing a bear, a lion, and a giant. God protected Him in all instances.
God will also protect you if Planet X destroys life on planet Earth as we know it. Your Father will protect you in earthquake and famine and plague. He will give us the courage necessary to step into the next stage of life or will provide for our needs here. The bottom line is ‘have faith’ and ‘fear not’ – you are under the protection of your Father.
Fifthly, your Heavenly Father will discipline you. Now, that doesn’t seem like a good thing – but it is. It is an evidence of His love. Look at His Word.
“And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline —then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:5-11
This Scripture ought to do away with any prosperity preaching; any health and wealth false doctrine. A sign of the Father’s love is sometimes discipline – sometimes pain not prosperity. Sometimes our Heavenly Father uses pain to teach us and form us and lead us. The sooner we realize that and learn our lesson – the sooner we can go on to His more pleasant blessings. But don’t forget that discipline is a blessing, too.
Lastly, sixth, I want to close by assuring you that your Heavenly Father loves you with a love that is beyond comprehension. When my kids were little, sometimes while they were sleeping I would sneak into their room and just watching them through eyes of love doing nothing but breathing. I so enjoyed their presence. I still enjoy just being with them. We don’t really have to say much. Sometimes they are doing well – and sometimes they are not. Some times they are living in victory – and sometimes they are living in defeat. It doesn’t matter. I still love them.
God loves you like that. How many times He would have loved to gather you up into His arms like a mother hen gathers her tiny chicks under her wings. How often He would have liked to let you know it was HIM – who came to your rescue! It was HIM who protected you! It was Him who steered you into making that choice that brought about great blessings into your life. God, our Heavenly Father loves YOU beyond description.
I hope this Father’s Day you realize how much your Heavenly Father loves you.
1. He has fantastic plans for your life.
2. He will never leave you or abandon you.
3. He will always provide for you.
4. He will always protect you.
5. He will discipline you.
6. He loves you beyond comprehension.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
