Dr. Charles Stanley
Read | Matthew 6: 8-14
Of God’s many names in the Bible, one is especially comforting to me in difficult times. What an awesome privilege that we—sinful, created beings—can call Him our heavenly Father.
Now, I realize that in today’s culture, family relationships too often fail to reflect God’s heart. Many parents are absent, distant, or harsh with their children. If you had such an experience in your growing-up years, it might be difficult to grasp the heavenly Father’s unconditional love. So let’s explore what it means to be adopted as His children and given the right to call Him “Father.”
First, we are His. We find great confidence and worth in this truth, as the sense of belonging fulfills a very deep need.
Second, our God wants an intimate relationship with us. We should be genuine when we pray, because the Lord accepts us just as we are. He longs for us to be transparent, sharing honestly with Him. In love, He responds by revealing Himself to us in many ways and speaking life, peace, and joy to our hearts.
Third, Christ has promised us His eternal presence. Once we are saved, nothing can separate us from Him—no sin is too big and no evil too strong. We are secure in His love forever.
Because of sin, we deserved separation from our Creator. But in His great love, God redeemed us and adopted us into His family. Now we are His children, who can bask in His unconditional acceptance and eternal presence as we get to know Him more deeply. No matter what our earthly dad was like, we can thrive in our heavenly Father’s care.
