Pastor Ellen Bilsborough
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14
Do we really know who our Father is? When we fail to properly understand who God is and when that is the case it brings a world of unhappiness and uncertainty among many believers today. The life of a believer is painted by the world to be a miserable, glum, unhappy life that is constantly watched by a stern Father who sits in heaven and casts judgment upon people, expects much and excuses nothing. That’s the world’s opinion about being a Christian, not to mention that we are all church going hypocrites who swing from the chandeliers. Thank God none of us believe any of that. If they only knew! Well, it’s our calling to tell others just exactly what they are missing.
If we think of our Father as cold we will find it impossible to love Him, and our lives will be bound in a serving fear. If we begin to see our Father as kind and understanding, our whole inner life will mirror that idea. God is love, He is all love, and those who trust Him need never know anything but that love. He is just and He will not condone sin; but through the blood of Jesus He is able to act toward us exactly as if we had never sinned.
He knows everything about us and still loves us unconditionally. HIs compassion flows over us and He knows us better than we know ourselves. Our children, as wonderful as they are, will never love us as much as we love them. When my parents used to tell me this I didn’t understand it, until I had children of my own. The love of our Father is the same way. He loves us for ourselves and values our love more than anything else in the world. We please Him most, not by trying to make ourselves good, but by throwing ourselves into His arms with all our imperfections, and believing that He understands everything and loves us still.
Do we really know who our Father is? When we fail to properly understand who God is and when that is the case it brings a world of unhappiness and uncertainty among many believers today. The life of a believer is painted by the world to be a miserable, glum, unhappy life that is constantly watched by a stern Father who sits in heaven and casts judgment upon people, expects much and excuses nothing. That’s the world’s opinion about being a Christian, not to mention that we are all church going hypocrites who swing from the chandeliers. Thank God none of us believe any of that. If they only knew! Well, it’s our calling to tell others just exactly what they are missing.
If we think of our Father as cold we will find it impossible to love Him, and our lives will be bound in a serving fear. If we begin to see our Father as kind and understanding, our whole inner life will mirror that idea. God is love, He is all love, and those who trust Him need never know anything but that love. He is just and He will not condone sin; but through the blood of Jesus He is able to act toward us exactly as if we had never sinned.
He knows everything about us and still loves us unconditionally. HIs compassion flows over us and He knows us better than we know ourselves. Our children, as wonderful as they are, will never love us as much as we love them. When my parents used to tell me this I didn’t understand it, until I had children of my own. The love of our Father is the same way. He loves us for ourselves and values our love more than anything else in the world. We please Him most, not by trying to make ourselves good, but by throwing ourselves into His arms with all our imperfections, and believing that He understands everything and loves us still.