A Good Father

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)

” For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”

What is your image of God? Do you see Him as a judge, waiting to condemn you for all the mistakes you’ve made? Do you see Him as a divine accountant, tallying up all the good deeds and weighing them against all the bad deeds to see which comes out on top and blessing you when the good outweighs the bad? Do you see Him as a kind of genie in the sky? A vending machine God? Prayers go in and whatever you want comes out?

Our image of God is extremely important!

The Bible tells us that God is a good Father. If you didn’t have the greatest example of a father in your life, that image may be anything but comforting. You may struggle to see God as a father if your own father was absent, distant, abusive, etc. But the Bible tells us that whatever the perfect father is, that’s God. God is a perfect father! And just as a perfect father is just the right amount of discipline and love, the right balance of present and parent, God is that balance as well.

Jesus said, “If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your heavenly Father?”

Today’s verse shows us that God’s desire is to bless us. Instead of picturing God as some kind of cosmic judge looking for a reason to condemn and smite you, picture God as a perfect father looking for a reason to bless you. He wants the best for you. His plans for you are perfect. They’re life-giving. They’re fulfilling. They’re filled with hope and blessing.

So picture the perfect father in your mind. Then, realize that whatever that image is….God goes above and beyond to be your perfect Father in heaven. Believe in the blessings of God and His good plans for your life. Trust in Him. He’s trustworthy!

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you are the perfect father. You desire to give good gifts to your children. Your Word tells us that anything good comes from you because you ARE our measure of goodness. Thank you that your plans for us are for our benefit. They are for our good. They are plans that fulfill us and plans that prosper us. We can have hope when we look at your plans for our life. We can trust in you because you love us and you care for us and you desire the best for us. Thank you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.