Our Father
Matthew 5:48
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
What did God have in mind when He created the human male? The world around us offers many images of what it means to be a "real man." The world offers us the breadwinner, the tough-guy and the workaholic's unending push for success. Also, it's becoming increasingly universal that it is the woman who holds the family together. We can be sure that none of these images capture what God had in mind.
If we want to learn some practical lessons about what God intended a man to be, we need to begin with God's original creation of the first man. The first job given to Adam, the first man, was an intellectual task – identifying and naming the animals.
Jesus Christ taught us to call God "our Father." However, we shouldn't make the mistake of comparing Him to our imperfect human fathers. Human fathers need to learn from God. What kind of father is He? He's tough. However, toughness does not mean hurling thunderbolts. True toughness is best shown when love persists despite rejection and disobedience. God never wearied of patiently seeking Saul of Tarsus, His sworn enemy.
However, while He is loving, God is not a wimp. He has established absolutes that we can depend on. He always keeps His Word. We can be thankful for that because when we look at ourselves we know that we have not been the men or women He intended us to be. His Word of grace in the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ assures all who cling to Christ that the perfect and almighty God is truly our Father!
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, I ask that Your name would be kept holy among us through the conduct of our lives and our persistent love for each other. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Author: Paul A. Bartz
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