Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Fathers. You might have a good father. You may not have had a good father. You might be adopted. Whatever your lot in life, in terms of your family, God is a perfect Father, and our Verse of the Day speaks to this.
The Book of Psalms is a tremendous little section of Scripture. It's a personal response to the character of God. It prefigures, pointing to Jesus Christ. In Psalm 103, David praises the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy. Then in this passage, he really unfolds the fatherhood of God. Essentially in Psalm chapter 103 and verse 13, our Verse of the Day, David shows us the fatherhood in two ways.
God Identifies Himself as a Father
Number one, God identifies Himself as a Father. He says, right there: "The Lord is like a father to his children." You know, out of all the ways that God could have identified Himself, He is sovereign. He's omniscient. He's all-knowing. He's omnipresent. He's everywhere present. He's omnipotent. He's all-powerful. He shows Himself in all these mighty ways. But then He reveals Himself also as Father.
Even in the New Testament it says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," showing God the Father's identity in relationship to Jesus, showing their intimacy even between them. God identifies Himself as Father. He is the ultimate Father. He is a full-time Father to you and me. We love our fathers, dads, but they come home from work. They go to sleep. They're not always attentive. They might be a great example, but they're not like the perfect Father, God Himself.
He—God Himself—never sleeps. He never slumbers. He never does anything out of character. I love what Romans chapter 8 and verse 15 says. One of my favorite verses: "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" You can call God "Daddy." That's how He reveals Himself. He's a strong, powerful Father.
God Is a Tender Father
Second, God is a tender Father. The verse says, "tender and compassionate to those who fear him." For those who love Christ, followers of Jesus, those who've been born again, God is a tender Father. He's compassionate. He's caring. He's tender. You know, I remember one time when I was with one of my boys, he was a lot younger, and I'm kind of tall, and I have kind of a big voice. I raised my voice at him, and he kind of visibly shook a little bit, and I said, "What's wrong?" He said, "I'm scared, Daddy," and I'll never forget that moment because I told myself, "I do not want my kids to be fearing me. I would love for them to respect me, but I don't want them to fear me."
Here God is a tender, gracious Father, and you and I can cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for you and for me. I love Psalm chapter 46 and verse 9: "The Lord watches over the just. He opposes the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin." Even those of you who don't have dads, He cares for you and He wants to be your loving Father.
What Do We Do with This Passage?
What do we do with this passage? Three very simple, three quick thoughts. Number one, approach God as a child, not a fearful servant. Approach God as a child whom He loves, not as a servant who's worried about what the boss is going to say. God loves you and me. First John chapter 3 and verse 1 says, "See how great the love of the Father has lavished upon us, that we should be called children of God."
Second, rest in God's fatherly care. I love Psalm chapter 46 and verse 10: "Be still and know that I am God." You can rest in His fatherly care for you.
Finally, allow His fatherhood to fuel intimacy, not distance. Allow this truth, this doctrine, this truth about God as Father to produce intimacy with you and me. Not distance. He loves to be called our Father. Love Jesus Christ, His Son, and let's be intimate with God the Father because He wants to be intimate with us.
