Our Heavenly Father

A Good Father We Can Count On

-Karen Priebe

As I was pondering on what to say this morning, I came across this devotion about our Heavenly Father by Glynnis Whitwer.

Every day I come to a greater understanding of God as the perfect Father. It makes me feel treasured and softens the pain of what I didn’t have growing up. As I’ve sought to understand what a good Father is like, here are five things I’ve discovered in Scripture we can count on about our Heavenly Father:

Five Things We Can Count On

1. He cares for and provides for our daily needs. In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus vividly described to His disciples how God cares for the birds and the flowers and explained we are far more important to our heavenly Father than that. God cares about all our needs.

2. He’s merciful toward us. Mercy is withholding punishment for what we deserve. Although God allows natural consequences when we make wrong choices, our Heavenly Father shows lovingkindness rather than anger when we fall short. (Luke 6:36)

3. God hears our prayers and answers them. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus makes an incredible statement that shows God’s heart. He says when two or more agree upon something in prayer, God hears and answers.

4. He protects us. In Matthew 26:53, Jesus said His Father would send 12 legions of angels to save Him if Jesus asked. Psalm 91 says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11, NIV).

5. God watches and waits for us when we turn from Him. Jesus told a story that modeled the Father’s heart for us. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the son decides to go his own way and squander his inheritance. When his life fell apart, the son realized his folly and returned home. Jesus described the father’s response, and it wasn’t “I told you so!” Rather God’s Word tells us that “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20b, ESV). Then the father threw a party! Imagine!

No matter our situation with our earthly father, we can say with confidence we have a good heavenly Father who loves us with attentive devotion. He’s all in, and we never outgrow His care and provision.

So today as we honour our earthly fathers let’s not forget our Heavenly Father. Who loves us with an everlasting perfect love.