Fathered by God

I got back to our flat at Oceans Retreat Centre in a daze after a sleepless flight from the US. It was strange coming back without Patty as we agreed to have her stay a few weeks longer to get some family and grandma time in. But as I turned on the lights I was greeted with gifts and cards hidden all over the room by her.

As we talked the next day she asked if I found the one under the pillow? “No,” I said and quickly looked. There I found my favorite picture, I was so tired I had no idea I was sleeping on it. But what a great reminder it was that I’m never alone, I have been given a “Perfect Love” which begins with a Father’s love.

In last weeks blog I shared how I was given the blessed gift of dwelling and spending time in 1 John 4:7-21, as this was the text for my son and daughter in-law’s wedding. At the heart of these words is verse 18:

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”

The source of perfect love always begins with the Father, the first person of the Trinity. The greatest longing in every soul is for a Father’s love. We were created to be Fathered by God, it runs through every strand of our DNA. Our enemy knows this and he will do everything in his power to keep us from knowing the love of a Perfect Father.

Just take a glance at our insecure world running in every direction searching for something, anything to fill our empty souls. We have listened over and over again to the lies that more stuff, more sex, a bigger salary or basking in the spotlight of success will make our deepest fears for significance go away. How would you say that has that worked out?

Only the Father’s perfect love can heal your wounded sin weary soul. In 1 John 4 we see the very definition of God is “love.”

“Those who are loved by God, let His love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of Him…the light of God’s love shined within us when He sent His matchless Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love; He loved us before we loved Him,” (vs. 7-10 TPT).

Chew on those verses for a while, it was the Father who pursed you with His love, calling you back to His heart through the gift of His only Son.

Back in 1995 holding my 1-year-old son in my arms, I saw the picture Patty put under my pillow the other night. I will never forget that day as tears flooded down my face as I heard in my soul, “I’m your Daddy and you are my beloved son” and for the first time I understood Romans 8:15:

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear but your received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we say “Abba Father.’”

Perfect Love that drives away all fear and insecurity comes from the heart of Father God. What I need, you need, and our world needs most is to experience the source of Perfect Love that flows from the Heart of God the Father.

That 1-year-old son who I held in my arms when I encountered the Father’s love is all grown up and married. But oh how thankful I am that my Heavenly Father spoke again on his wedding day text to remind me and hopefully you that you are Fathered by a loving God, who has made you His very own precious child.