God, Our Father

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

J.I. Packer penned these dramatic words in his classic work, Knowing God: “What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God for his Father.” What a stunning declaration!

I don’t know if you ever thought this way about it, but God was Father before He was Creator. The only way we can understand God is by His self-revelation in Scripture, a revelation in terms of relationship. He is, within His Triune nature, relational: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — long before He created anything.  

Some say that man has foisted fatherhood on God after reflecting on the earthly version of fatherhood. But Scripture says the exact opposite: earthly fathers are made in the image of the Heavenly Father. “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every father in heaven and on earth is named” [Ephesians 4.14-15]. 

Now to the punchline. If God is your Father, He is both your authority and advocate. He is superior to you, but utterly for you at every point. He is superior in wisdom, power, and resources and is more than willing to help you. That’s what a good father will do. 

Sure, God could altogether crush you, shame you, or abandon you, but He has chosen, instead, to link Himself eternally to you through Christ. Now, you can enjoy abundant life [John 10.10], and the full inheritance of His riches in Christ [Ephesians 1.3].

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Matthew 6.9