A Father's Love

Picture this scene with me. A little boy hears his daddy's car pull up in the driveway coming home from work. The little boy gets so excited he drops the toys he is playing with running to the front door with unbridled joy. When the daddy opens the front door the little boy cannot contain his enthusiasm. He starts jumping up and down and shouts loudly enough for everyone in the house to hear, "Daddy is home! Daddy is home!"

Hearing those words the daddy drops everything in his arms smiling ear to ear and grabs the title boy whisking him up tossing the child high and then catching him. He says, "Hi champ. How was your day?" 

The little boys squeals and giggles answering, "I am so glad you are home."

The daddy responds, "Champ so am I. So am I." With those words he hugs the little boy tightly and tenderly pats him on the head as he sets him down. Then he says, "Let me go and change clothes and how about you and me going outside to play." 

"Hurry dad. I will be outside waiting," the boy exclaims. 

Over the course of the evening many times the little boy jumps in his father's arms. He cannot contain his joy just to have his father's undivided attention. Many times over the course of the evening the father speaks words of affirmation to that little boy. He tells the little boy how much he loves him. How proud he is of him. He also forgives the little boy when he accidentally knocks over this glass of milk at dinner. 

When bed time comes the little boy reluctantly takes his father by the hand as they walk toward the bedroom. He keeps muttering, "But I want to stay up with you. I'm not tired I promise." The father is resolved. In one last effort for a little more time with his dad the boy says, "Will you read me a bedtime story?" The father agrees walking over to the bookshelf. He reaches for an unread book but the boy requests a favorite one they have read together many times. 

After the book the father knees beside his little boy in the bed and prays over him. The little boy yawns and goes to sleep surrounded by the love of God and the love of his parents especially his daddy. 

Now tell me, how do you feel? If this is a scene taken from your own childhood I bet your heart is warm. If you had an absent father I bet this stings a bit. 

Now, what if I change the characters a bit. What if the child is you and me. Little boys and little girls. What if the daddy is God the Father? What if He shows up to have fellowship with you? Are you excited? Are you enthusiastic about time with Him?

What if God pulls you close and tells you how much He loves you. Just like a daddy hugging his little boy or girl. What if during that time with Him you feel the depth of His love and He whispers in your ear, "Child, I am proud of you. I love you. I love being with you. I am so glad you are mine."

How would you receive that? Would you even believe it? I bet many of you would immediately turn to your performance. You will think of your many failures and your sin. You will shrink back in shame. The love of our Father is far greater, higher, and deeper than we can fathom. Not just for other people. Love for you. Let me say that again. LOVE FOR YOU!

He loves you. He loves to be with you. He is there to pick you up when you fall. He is there to forgive when you sin. He is there to bind up the wounds when your heart is broken. He is there to speak words of love and affirmation when your lonely battered heart needs them most. He is there to give you His undivided attention, to unload your cares, to listen to your requests, and to help you in times of trouble. That is the love of the Father. 

Read these words slowly. You know them but do you really understand the depth of Father's love. I pray you will receive it today. 

Romans 8:31-39 (ESV)
³¹  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
³³  Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
³⁴  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
³⁵  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
³⁶  As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
³⁷  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
³⁸  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
³⁹  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.