Loving God As Your Father

Read This: “For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5)

Think: An unexpected hug and kiss, a shared laugh, a thoughtful gesture, or a simple “I love you.” If you’re a parent you know there’s no greater joy than when your children choose to show their love for you—not because they feel like they have to or because they’re expecting something in return, but just because they want you to know they love you.

Even more so, our Heavenly Father delights in us, his sons and daughters, when we freely show him how important he is to us. God loves it when we spend time with him, talk to him, and listen to him. It warms his heart and makes him proud when he sees us putting the lessons he has taught us into practice. And when we’re out of sync with God, he longs for our return as we see in the Parable of the Compassionate Father (Luke 15:11-24).

Every father wants a strong relationship with his children and that happens by being intentional. At the same time, it’s important to remember that prayer, reading the Bible, and worshipping him aren’t just commandments to obey, but expressions of our love for him. These things only become meaningful when we do them because we really want to. Instead of going through the motions of being Christians, let’s approach God like we’re part of his family, where we belong and we’re loved—and he’s our Dad.

Ask: To adopt means “to take and raise as one’s own.” God paid the ultimate price so that we would have the right to call him Father. What does it mean to you that you have been adopted by God for life?

Pray: As you think of ways to honor your dad on Father’s day, ask God to show you ways you can deepen your relationship with your Heavenly Father.

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