The Father

Have you ever thought of God as a father? He loves you. He loves you better than any earthly father could.

He is always looking for ways to show us he loves us. Many times, we think of God as the all-powerful being waiting

to strike us dead at the first mistake. That's not what God is about. He loves you. He wants you to know that he loves you.

--Take the father in the story of the prodigal son. The son has wandered away and squandered his inheritance. He realizes

how much better life was with his father. So, he starts for home. Luke 15:20 tells what happens when he arrives home.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw

his arms around him, and kissed him." First, the father saw his son "while he was still a long way off." The image here is

one of the father standing at the gate searching for some sign of his child on the road. He wanted his son to come home.

Second, there is no "I told you so." The father is filled with compassion for his child. He doesn't care where the boy has

been, he's happy that his son is finally home. Think about what could have happened. The son walks up to the gate. The

first thing he sees is one of the servants running up to him telling him he's not welcome anymore. The father won't even

come to tell him personally. The son walks away, even more discouraged than before. Thank God it didn't happen that

way. The father didn't send a servant to the son, he came himself. He wanted to see his child, to hug him, to tell him he

was forgiven. It was the personal relationship that the father wanted restored. That's what God wants. Like the father in this

story, he doesn't care how far you've fallen or where you've been. When you come to him and say, "I'm sorry, please

forgive me," He will react just like the father in this story.

-- If you want more convincing, take this story as my next example. "When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence

in heaven for about half an hour. . .The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of all the saints, went up before

God from the angel's hand." (Revelation 8:1,4) First of all, this is the only point in this book that gives a specific amount of

time for silence in heaven. Think of it this way. Heaven is abuzz with excitement. Everyone's talking, singing, and carrying

on. Suddenly, God raises his finger to his lips and tells everyone to be quiet. Why? The "prayers of the saints" are being

offered. Someone is praying and God wants to hear it. He is leaning in to catch every word when we pray. Nothing is

more important to him then spending time with us.

-Still not convinced? Well, let me share one more story with you. God looked down from Heaven one day and saw

one of his children-you-dying because of sin in your life. Like the first story, God was filled with compassion for you.

He knew the only way to set you free from sin was to die in your place. So, He came to Earth in the form of a man-Jesus--

to die in your place. He was killed on a cross, death by suffocation. Three days later, he rose from the dead to show that

you can have victory over sin and death. All you have to do is confess that you are a sinner, accept Christ's death and

resurrection, and be baptized in his name. If you have never taken these steps and want to take them today, please visit my

page on salvation. Just click here. God is waiting for you. What will you tell him?