The Gift of the Father – Believing He is Good!

Do you believe God the Father is good? As a young boy I remember building a fort in the backyard thoroughly enjoying myself while nailing boards together on a sunny Sunday afternoon. But all of the sudden I set the hammer down wondering if I had accidentally broken one of the 10 commandments. After all “keep the Sabbath holy,” meant that Sunday was a day of rest and not work. I was afraid I had upset God and punishment was sure to follow for breaking the 4^th commandment. As I recall the joy and fear I had on that day I look back now and I’m sure my Father God was smiling at the fun I was experiencing constructing the fort. But for many years it was hard to imagine a Father God who wasn’t angry, but rather good and desperately desired for me to experience the outpouring of His love.

When dialoguing about the need for another Great Outpouring of the Father’s love through the Holy Spirit, it is so important for us to believe the Father is good. As we considered Jesus’ teaching last week in Luke 11:5-6, we were given a picture of a man who desperately needed bread in order to feed a guest, he ultimately realized he had nothing to give. Yes, the first step in receiving this gift of God’s Spirit is to see our emptiness and utter weakness. The second equally important step is to believe our “friend,” our Good Father possesses the bread that we desperately need.

Where do you turn when you are empty, weak, hurting, or have a huge hunger in your heart? Where you go for help will show what or who you believe in. Often, because of my past fear of God the Father, I would go elsewhere to fill the longing in my heart. I would rush to sports, friends, entertainment, or try really hard to be a “good Christian boy” so the Father would love me. However, all those things could never fill the deepest need in my soul.

In Luke 11:5-13, Jesus reminds us where He went when in his humanity He felt weak and had nothing give for the work He was called to do. Jesus approached His Father. The Father He trusted to be good. The Father He knew loved to pour out His Spirit of love upon His Children: “Which of you fathers, if your son ask for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

It has been a journey for me to come to understand this, yet today I know my Daddy God is good and he has the best of gifts for me that will fill my needy and hungry heart. This week join me once again in pounding on Heaven’s door for a fresh outpouring of the good gift from the Father, His Holy Spirit. Oh and if you have ac chance listen to this song which reminds us to trust in the Father’s goodness!