A Reminder That God Will ProvideEgzanp

Our Father’s Heart
By Mark Hayes, President of Ministry

A billboard on the highway was placed near a church and depicted the hand of God with the following caption: “Don’t make me come down there!” It immediately brought back memories of my father saying those very words when I was making too much noise with my brothers in the basement. 

Reflecting on that message, I realized how often we think of God in just that way. We think of him as an angry father, disgusted with how we are living our lives on Earth. And when he shows up, we will be sorry.

However, these verses from Titus show us our Father’s heart: but when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (Titus 3:4-5)

When God did come down here, he did so with a cosmically loving purpose—literally to save our lives and the lives of the whole world.  And his gift of love was independent of how we were acting down here on Earth. His gift was based entirely on his mercy. 

• When our relationship with our Father, God, is based on our fear of doing enough righteous things to please him and to convince him to love us, it is a dysfunctional relationship.  
• When our relationship with God has its roots in his deep love for us as he intended, we strive to please him because we know that he already loves us.

The angels are in God’s presence continually and know his heart. They delivered a message directly from God to us.  On the night that Jesus was born, they proclaimed with confidence, “On earth PEACE to those on whom his favor rests.” 

Soak that in. God’s favor rests on you. God likes you. God LOVES you. God cares what happens to you. God will never leave your side. In Jesus, God proved his dedication to you. 

Prayer: Dear Father, you are loving and gracious. You forfeited your relationship with your Son, Jesus, to secure a relationship with us. Instill in us true peace secured in your mercy and cradled in forgiveness for our broken lives. We rejoice this season and always that we belong to you. Amen.