A New Glimpse of the Fatherhood of God

We are celebrating the birth of our first child, Annabelle!  This has, for obvious reasons, got me thinking more and more about being a dad.  Before she came I wondered what she would be like.  I imagined how she would act, look, and smile.  How would it feel to hold her?  Would she like me?  Now that she's here,  I ponder what she will do when she wakes up each day.  What will our moments together be like?  How will she melt my heart with a smile or a look? That's my heart for my little girl.

And then I think that my heart for her is not that different from my Heavenly Father's heart for me.  I wonder if when I wake in the morning if He has a heart full of joyful expectation for what I will do that day.  Of course, He knows everything so I can't surprise Him, but does He look down on me with the anticipation that I look forward to with Annabelle?  Does He take great joy in the things that I do? I think He does when the things I do honor Him.

There are many passages of Scripture that demonstrate the Lord's care of His children.  Psalm 146:8 describes how God feels towards his children, "the Lord loves the righteous". 2 Chronicles 16:9 speaks of the Lord's ever-present watch over his child, "the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." Job 1:8 shows us that God is very aware, even watching, the lives of his people.  Psalm 121 speaks of the Lord's care and concern for His people. Over and over again I find that God's eye is turned towards His child.

As I meditate and think of God's love and care for me it gives a whole new meaning to the words of the  Lord's Prayer. It starts "Our Father".  He is my Father.  And I believe He looks down on me with all (and more) the fatherly emotion that I have for  our sweet Annabelle.  But He's not just an earthly Father, He is the Almighty Creator of everything that is, so the line continues "in heaven". He is able to do anything because of His position as Lord over the universe. This should bring great comfort and hope to His child, especially when life is hard.

"Hallowed be your name".  May You be glorified in my life today Lord.  When I glorify Him it brings Him such joy!  So He looks on me with joyful expectation, like I look upon my newborn daughter.  "Your kingdom come".  May the actions of my life reveal Your coming kingdom and bring You glory!  Not only this, but my heart longs for the coming of Your kingdom to earth.  This is the prayer of the child who longs to be closer to his or her father.

"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". May You be establishing Your kingdom through my life today and may it give You great joy as You watch me live it with Your help.  "Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." As my Father, please provide for all my needs today: for my physical needs and for my spiritual needs. Please keep me from falling into temptation so that I do something that will grieve your heart. Amen.

Fatherhood is helping me to better understand and appreciate God's heart towards me, what a blessing in so many ways!