June | 2019 |

Who is God to you? Don’t answer too quickly. Pause…. think… let your mind navigate that question.

As I pondered this thought today, my mind rolled through scenes of my life. All He has done for me, all He has given me, all the moments of pain and joy that He carried me through! How can I adequately articulate who He is to me?

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    He who created you, Jacob,
    He who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.
²When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:1-2

From Genesis to Revelation, the attributes of God, His character, His heart, His goodness is referred to by many different titles! From Abba to Y’shua, Alpha to Omega, over 900 names and titles¹ still cannot capture the essence of who our God is to His people!

I Am… He is the I Am… everything we need can be found in Him! I find such peace in knowing that no matter what I need, He has a way to meet that need. He holds me in His lap and allows me to rest my head against His chest. His presence eclipses my need when I choose to dwell there! Who is God to me? Daddy! I find my greatest fulfillment in my relationship with Him as a daughter, accepted, valued, loved unconditionally, His princess. THAT fills my love tank!

But who is He to you? He wants to be your everything! But He will start by being your Savior, your Father, your Healer, your Deliverer.

Has it been awhile since you’ve connected with Him? Talk to Him today! Find that quiet place where you can pause and listen. He wants to love on You and draw you into His arms. There’s such peace in that place! He will not reject you! He will not scold you! He will set you on the path He designed for you just as a parent would redirect a child riding his bicycle in the street.

Are you in need today? He is a Way Maker! He is a Miracle Worker! Let Him be who You need today! Our God is a Light in Your Darkest places!²

“God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” Number 23:19

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” II Corinthians 1:20

Live Loved,

¹Names of God: https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/namesofgod.html

²Way Maker: by Sinach

This Father’s Day, our worship team, like many others, led us in the song, “Good, Good Father.”¹ How beautiful it must have sounded in the realms of Heaven, hearing strains of this song echoing from all over the world. What a powerful truth that the enemy has tried to steal from the hearts of society as a whole.

Think about it, over the past 40 years, the media has tried to erase the remnants of fathers worth respecting. It has presented us with examples of fathers that are foolish, clueless, outdated, and dull. It has attacked strong fathers as being macho, selfish, or chauvinistic. Stereotypes have been applied and enforced through television shows, lyrics, and comics strips.

As the respect for fatherhood declined, so did the fathers. Men began abdicating their role in droves eventually creating a generation that was dubbed, “The Fatherless Generation.”²

That’s not to say that there haven’t been some poor examples of fatherhood. Many can attest to experiencing painful childhoods because of absent, uninvolved, or abusive fathers. And when your father memories are fraught with pain, the idea of God being a good, good Father is foreign and unrealistic.

But the role of fatherhood was created to be an expression of love and provision throughout childhood as well as one of guidance and wisdom for life. It was originated by our Heavenly Father when He breathed His very breath into Adam and when He created Adam and then Eve, in His own image.³ He spent time with them each day, walking and talking. That is the heart of the Father! It’s a commitment of love that allowed Jesus to walk through a tortuous death and resurrection in order to reestablish a pathway of relationship with us!

We need fathers! We need YOU, Dads!

We don’t need you to be perfect but present! We need fathers who will:

Listen to silly jokes and never-ending stories
Paint fingernails and toenails while sipping imaginary tea
Toss baseballs and practice dance moves
Schedule son events and daughter dates
Celebrate successes and rising from failures
Work elbow to elbow in chores and homework
Be teachable yet confident, kind yet firm
Demonstrate generosity, integrity, and faith
Lead, honor, and love through every season

I know, that’s a tall order, isn’t it? But the payoff is without comparison! “The father of a righteous one rejoices greatly. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.” (Proverbs 23:24 TLV) How does a father end up with a righteous and wise child? By following the example of the Father of fathers! What makes God a good, good Father? He is loving, kind, compassionate, faithful, wise, merciful, generous, and oh, so, patient!

You may be thinking, but He is perfect and I am not. That’s true, but… His perfect love can flow through you–a less than perfect–but teachable father! Trust that He loves you enough to give you all that you need to be the dad your family needs!

Dads, don’t shy away from your role! Fathers are an integral part of God’s plan for healthy families a necessary foundation for healthy communities! Not only do biological and blended families need their dads, but there are emotionally hungry children who need adopted dads, and spiritual orphans who long for spiritual dads. Allow the Father’s love and character to flow through you to the next generation! Your investment will bring dividends that far outlast your life here on earth!

Live Loved,

I’m immensely proud of this amazing man! He loves deeply and well. He is teachable and generous! I am ever so thankful for this Dad and my own Dad & Dad-in-Love! <3

P.S. It’s fascinating to learn about how young bull elephants act when the male role models are missing from their lives: https://youtu.be/5gsNjI99eFE

¹Good, Good Father by Christ Tomlin, Songwriters: Anthony Brown / Pat Barrett

²The Fatherless Generation: https://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com/about/

³Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7

Monthly Archives: June 2019

Who Is He… to You?

A Case for Fatherhood