Happy Father’s Day, Australia! I’ve been thinking about something this week that just happens to line up remarkably well with today’s holiday.
Are you someone who loves your family dearly? And do you believe in honouring and respecting your parents? Now imagine for a moment choosing to ignore your father or your mother- you openly rebel, or worse, you don’t even acknowledge their existence. Perhaps you think life will be better with complete independence and they are only getting in the way. How do you think they would feel about this? Extreme sadness, pain, disappointment?
This is how our Heavenly Father feels when we turn our back on him. Imagine it! God created us in his image, in his likeness, that we could be called children of God, yet we despised and rejected him. We think we don’t need God, that he only gets in the way, that we know better. But we are just ignorant- how could we respond to the love of a father- the perfect father- like this? He only has our best interest in mind. God endured the cross for us, to bring us back to himself, yet many of us still respond in apathy. Apathy is the complete opposite of love, and it is love, pure, perfect love, that God has for us if we turn and accept his gift of grace- our place as a child of God.
Have you ever heard the parable of the prodigal son? Jesus told this story about a young son who requested his inheritance from his father early- as if even wishing his him dead. He squandered the money on selfish, meaningless things and didn’t realize the error of his ways until the money ran out and he was even worse off than his father’s servants. When he returned to his father to apologize, he received an unexpected reception- a gift- grace!
“So he got up and went to his father. “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. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
Luke 15:20-24 NIV
This is the love of our great God! Grace is a gift we are free to accept or reject- but I can assure you that life with the guidance, comfort and love of our maker and designer is one of meaning and fulfillment. As we seek to know God more, we not only strengthen our relationship with him, our father, but we also better understand ourselves and why he made us uniquely the way we are- our purpose in his perfect plan.
Will you fully accept the love of your Heavenly Father this Father’s Day?
Water to Words 