Laura's Latest: God, our Father

Dad, Daddy, Dada, Papa, Father. What do you call your dad? Dad can mean something so different to each of us. It could mean a man who has raised, protected, loved, taught you. It could mean very little to you right now. Maybe an absent man, an abusive man, a sometimes or “when I feel like it” man.

Our earthly fathers are all different and though our relationships with them may vary drastically, we all have one Dad in common; our Father in heaven.

I happened to have two earthly dads. My biological father and my step father. I have a beautiful relationship with my biological dad which has flourished over the years. I also had a lovely relationship with my step-dad, until he sadly passed away when I was a teenager. I found it really confusing at times. I was the only child from my mum and dad’s marriage but they both remarried and had two further children each-my brothers and sister. I sometimes felt like the odd one out and like I was getting in the way of my step-dad and my brother and sister and in between my brothers and my dad.

When my step-dad died I felt a lot of emotions. Anger, sadness, confusion. For a long time I actually convinced myself that I was the cause of his death. I had an argument with him the last time I saw him which caused guilt to hover over me as I went through my teens as a smoking, self-harming, suicidal worrier. My dad was so kind and supportive and had always understood and promoted my relationship with my step-dad which takes a remarkably humble, kind, loving and wise man to do.

Throughout my teens I was in trouble at school-truanting, disrupting the class and behaving inappropriately. My mum would send me to stay with my dad if I was naughty and I guess I saw it as a punishment for some time. I had no understanding of how discipline was good for me. In fact I disobeyed most instruction and detested being told off! I instantly felt rejected if any adult were to say I was doing anything wrong.

As I grew older, I began to see this fear of rejection in other relationships and at work. I couldn't bare the thought of anyone in authority telling me I had done something wrong. I took it so sensitively and automatically assumed this was because they didn't like me.

I had trust issues, a lot of insecurities, a lot of self-loathing and fear. I couldn't see how anyone could truly love me. I would hope for the best but expect the worst and often go into self-destruct mode if anything good did come along because I felt I didn't deserve it.

I needed to be rescued and transformed and in 2014 I began to be curious about Jesus. After my partner told me about his relationship with Jesus, I attended a church and heard all about how He died for me, my sins and sickness and how He will never leave me or forsake me. I didn't really know what to say or think. But that day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

I was soon baptised and began reading The Bible and attending Church.

I began to get knowledge and understanding and I very quickly started to see who God is and what He says about us. Read this:

Luke 15:11-12 Then he said,“There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’

12-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

17-20 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.

20-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.

We have all messed up. None of us are perfect. At some point in our lives we have hurt someone or sinned and I'm sure we can all relate to the prodigal son in many ways. As sure as I am that we've all messed up, I'm also sure you have experienced a time when you have been hurt, forgotten, abused or rejected by someone you love. It might have happened once or twice or perhaps everyday. Maybe you have done things that have made you think that even God hates you, that He wants nothing to do with you or that you aren't good enough. That is so far from the truth! It is the biggest lie the devil wants to feed you to keep you away from God.

God created you. He gave Jesus for us, so we could be free. He is our Father and every single one of us is His child. He didn’t create us for nothing. He handcrafted us so beautifully into a world that already had everything we needed. Food, drink, companionship, beauty and a completely open and free relationship with Him. He wants to spend time with us just like any loving parent. He cares about us and what we are doing and He wants to see us happy and prospering in everything we do.

No matter how loving of unloving your earthy father is, your Dad in Heaven is a constant, generous, passionate, merciful, patient, faithful Father who we can lean and rely on. He will never leave you or forsake you. If a dad on this earth can be generous and buy us gifts and help us out, how much more will Father God do these things for us? After all, every good thing we have, comes from Him!

Jesus is God and He told the story of the prodigal son as a picture for us. He shared this to show you that no matter what you have done, no matter what you said, no matter how long you have strayed for, He is waiting to cover you in His best robe, cook up a feast, put on a party and throw His arms around you because He adores you. Before you even come home to Him, He has already forgotten your wrongs and is too busy loving you to even listen to you relaying your mistakes!

Lean on Jesus today. He is so gentle and such a gent that He will never force Himself into your life or situations. Let Him in, rest in Him and you will feel a love that you have never experienced before.