For the past six months April has shared a download on the first blog post of each month. These downloads have featured an attribute of God: He is our Rock, our Good Shepherd, the Vine, the Lamb, I Am, and for the month of June, our Father. Perhaps of all the attributes of God, Father is my favorite. While not everyone has had wonderful experiences with their earthly fathers, I have a pretty darn stinkin’ good one.
What makes my dad a good father? It’s hard to explain because it isn’t that pony he bought me when I was ten (because he didn’t) and it wasn’t that he let me go to all the cool parties in high school (again, because he didn’t). My dad is a good father because he looks at you when you’re telling him something. You are what he’s interested in, and he’s eager to encourage. Loving his family is what he does, and you never doubt it for a moment. When I was a little girl I was convinced my dad knew everything. He was my rock.
Even as great as my dad is, he is far from perfect. At the end of the day, while he has been a faithful father, he is still a human being. So, whether you grew up with a dad like mine, or whether you grew up with the opposite experience, we have something in common: our dads are/were sinners. If you had a distant or abusive or cold or absent father, you know your need for a perfect one. But, if you have a tremendous father, you are still in need of a perfect one.
The apostle Paul explained to the Romans our condition before Christ died: weak, ungodly, sinners, enemies of God. Every single person fits this bill. If you ever wondered how God could be wrathful towards His people, just read that sentence again. Our heart condition is wretched apart from Jesus and deserving of God’s wrath and eternity in hell.
But…
For if when we were enemies were reconciled to God, through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:10,11
Our perfect Father, God, is perfectly just in punishing sinners with His sinless wrath. Remember what we deserve because of our heart condition?But, in His great mercy, God sent His Son Jesus in our place so that He might reconcile us to the Father through His death on the cross. And, that He might reconcile us to the Father through His resurrection from the dead.
Now, in God’s sight, we are viewed as holy, blameless and above reproach because of Jesus’ substitution. He took upon Himself God’s wrath for my sin. For your sin.
Once, my dad was really mad because I’d disobeyed him. I don’t remember any details except my angry and disappointed dad’s face. I deserved whatever punishment he dished out. But, imagine if my brother would have stepped in and taken my punishment instead. And, then after that, my dad was satisfied and our relationship was restored. This is what our Brother, Jesus, did for us. In our sin, our relationship with God is broken. We need Jesus to reconcile us together. We must believe He has accomplished this. We must first begin by seeing our need because we are sinners.
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
As we celebrate Father’s Day this month, let’s consider our relationship with God. Is it broken? Or is it reconciled? Each one of us has a father-need. Whether your earthly father has died, or been absent in some way, or has been great…we all need a Perfect father. In God, we have one.
Love, Wendy
