Week 2 – Day 8
Dear Friend,
What comes to mind when you hear the word, “Father”? Do you think of a stern disciplinarian, a deadbeat dad, or even an emotionless entity of your imagination whom you have never met? Hopefully you think of a caring man who was always there when you needed it most. The experiences of our life shape our trust and interactions with God; He gets the good and the bad. Unfortunately we suffer the most if our picture of a father is bad.
Also you might have been taught growing up that God was a Kamikaze-Killjoy that was just waiting for you to make a mistake, an unrelenting taskmaster. It is time for those distorted images to be erased forever.
In reality God the Father is consumed with your well-being, filled with thoughts of love and protection for you. Since the beginning of your conception He has known of you. Throughout your entire life He has been longing to have you accept all that Jesus purchased for you on the cross, most importantly He wanted to close the gap of sin. With sin out of the way God could finally adopt you; make you His child and begin impacting your life with His promises and faithfulness.
I have been adopted in the natural and recognize what it is like to become part of a family and gain a new identity. Overnight, I became a daughter, a sister, a niece and a granddaughter. When you received Christ you gained a whole new identity; everything old passed away and heaven and hell recognized who your Dad is. The problem is when we still keep acting like the orphan without a family or rights and privileges.
Remember, John 3:16 speaks of Eternal Life that Jesus died to gain for us. John 10:10 in the Amplified reads, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” Both of these scriptures are talking about the God-kind of Life our Heavenly Father has for us! In the Greek they both are the same word with the same meaning. God wasn’t talking about longevity; rather He was talking about quality of life here and now! He was talking about life with Him as your Dad, your Abba Father!
One of the things I love to do as a parent of adult children is ask what they would like to have when they come home. I ask what activities they want to do, what food they want to eat and what would bring them joy. Right now you are God’s Son and He is asking you, “What do you want, My Much-Loved Daughter (My Precious Son)? Everything is available, just ask. What would bring you joy? I love you!”
What is it that you want right now in life? As you journal, write it out. Be descriptive and let God know exactly what you desire. Then let God show of what an amazing Daddy He truly is. After all, He already paid the price of an awesome life for you.
Love,
Jen
Journal:
As you look at the requests you’ve journaled, go deeper. As God is our Father, He sees how to give you the true treasures that have a lasting effect. While we may only see the desire for a new job, God sees that the job unhappiness is only a symptom of a greater need for value and purpose. We may be requesting a large bank account which never runs low as an answer to our circumstances, while God recognizes the longing for peace and self-respect for ourselves as the true longing of our hearts.
God cares about and is more than willing to fulfill the needs and desires of our hearts. At the same time He is a Father, who can be trusted and relied upon. He does above all we could ever ask or think. His thoughts go beyond the natural and He wants us to do the same. What is the true wealth made available in God that will never leave you the same? Ask big, He loves you and He has great plans for you and your future!
