In the US, the third Sunday of June is set apart to honor the role that fathers play in the lives of their children. Father’s Day is always a time when I think of my father and my role as a father and about the perfect Father, our Heavenly Father. It is also an excellent time to share a little bit of the heart of our Heavenly Father, which I have done before. I am grateful for the father I had and for the opportunity to be a father. However imperfectly, I may have fulfilled the responsibilities of that role. But, more than anything else, I am grateful for a familial relationship with the God who spoke the world into existence and invited me to know Him as my Father. God provides for me anything lacking from my earthly father, is a perfect example of fatherhood for me to try to emulate and is willing and able to make up for the myriad of ways and times I have fallen short of living out His example for my children.
The Heart of God
Think for a moment about the Heart of God, our Heavenly Father. Consider God’s heart, both as a way in which to understand and receive all that God offers to His children and to challenge and encourage you in being someone “after God’s own heart.”
God’s heart is a heart of Strength and Protection. Over and over again, the scriptures speak of God being our rock, our fortress, our strong tower, our shield, and our defender. The righteous run to him and are saved. We are encouraged to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” We are told that He “prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” He says that “when we pass through the fire, we will not be burned,” and that “when we pass through the waters, they will not overflow us.” Our Father has a heart that is strong toward us and protects us.
God’s heart is a heart of Wisdom and Counsel. One of the names for the Spirit of God is “the Counselor.” Another is “The Spirit of Truth, who guides us in to all truth.” God’s Word promises to be “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” As the Good Shepherd, He is constantly leading us. When we trust in Him with all our heart, He promises to direct our path. Jesus calls us to “follow Him,” and we are told to “follow in His steps.” God has a heart to give wisdom and counsel to His children.
Provision
God’s heart is a heart of provision. Beginning with Adam and Eve, God has always been a provider. He provided them every plant in the Garden of Eden. God supplied them clothing of animal skins after the fall. He spoke of His planned provision of redemption, even as He told them of the devastating consequences of their sin. God provided mana in the wilderness, had ravens feed Elijah, and did not let the flour and oil run out for the widow of Zarephath. It is no wonder that God is called “Jehovah Jireh,” which means “the God who provides.
Love
God’s heart is a heart of love. More than anything else, the heart of the Father is a heart of never-ending, always faithful, freely given, sacrificial love. The Gospel and the whole of the message of the Bible are encapsulated in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” To capture the essence of who God is, John the apostle said, “God is love.” This truly is the heart of our Father.
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.