by Lauri Campbell, LAS, Affiliation Coordinator
As a teen, I went through a season of rebellion that was dishonoring of my parents and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
When this prodigal very suddenly had that moment of “coming to my senses” (Luke 15:17), I immediately called home and my daddy answered the phone.
As soon as I heard his voice, I began to sob uncontrollably. I knew I had hurt my parents and my God. I was not estranged from my parents, but my heart longed for spiritual restoration, and they welcomed me back with open arms.
Later, the Holy Spirit convicted me to seek forgiveness from them for those years of rebellion.
When I did, my Dad quickly responded with, “Honey, we did not know all the specifics of your sin, but we forgave you a long time ago.”
And just like that, my earthly father showed me the heart of my Heavenly Father.
I’ve gone back to that holy moment countless times in my life. The longer I live, the more it means to me.
But I realize not everyone has had that experience. Fathers and Father’s Day can bring up different emotions for all of us.
Yet, in Scripture, God is identified as our Father more than 250 times. Most references are in the New Testament, perhaps because in and through Christ, we have a new identity as the adopted children of God (Romans 8:15).
As a Believer, I would submit to you that two of the greatest foundational Truths in Scripture are: God is your good Father and you are His dearly loved child.
Wrapping our heads and hearts around these two statements and standing boldly on them enables the Lord to do a powerful work in and through us. Things change when you know who you are and whose you are.
Jesus says that in seeing Him, we have seen the Father.
“Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me?” (John 14:9–10)
If you have trouble accepting the unconditional love and forgiveness of your good Father, remember that as you experience the steadfast love, compassion, and tenderness of Jesus, you are actually experiencing your good Father’s love through Christ.
If you know Jesus, you know the Father.
“All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children…” (Romans 8:14–16)
Paul says, “But you received the Spirit of adoption.” People may give a charter of adoption, but when God adopts you, He has the prerogative (authority and latitude) to give a Spirit of adoption—the nature of children.
And as an adoptee, YOU have received it!
The Spirit of adoption works into the children of God a daughterly or sonly love to God as a Father.
When we don’t “feel” like the beloved children of our good Father, it doesn’t make us any less adopted. The Spirit teaches us in prayer to come to God as a Father, with a holy, humble confidence.
God is your good Father and you are His dearly loved child. Now, that’s worth celebrating!