Our Father

by Kieya Hudson

We’re all taught from an early age that God is our Father and we are children of God.

It’s so easy to say, tweet, preach and even put in our Instagram bios that God is our Father. But do we, as His children, really believe it?

It’s safe to say that fathers play a huge role in a child’s life. Throughout time and especially the word of God, we see how much impact a father makes on a child. One of the greatest father-son relationships we see is our Saviors’ relationship with the Heavenly Father. Christ shows us how important this relationship is. He even opens the model prayer for Christians with, “Our Father...” Jesus shows us something that’s often overlooked by His amazing signs and miracles. Jesus shows us relationship. 

The only way we can truly understand that we are children of God is by examining our relationship with our Earthly fathers.

Since we are imperfect people, we make mistakes. Sometimes other people’s mistakes can cost us a lifetime of hurt. We allow mistakes made by our Earthly fathers to limit our relationship with our Heavenly Father. My Earthly father is an amazing man and even greater father. But even he made mistakes. When I was six, my parents separated for a period of time. My brother and I lived with my mom thousands of miles away from my dad. During that period of time, I felt confused, lost, and abandoned. Ultimately my parents reunited and are still married after almost 22 years. 

That season of abandonment did a wonder on me subconsciously. Once I fully started following The Lord, I found it difficult to trust Him with my entire heart. Subconsciously, I felt that at any moment He would abandon me. One day in prayer the Lord spoke to me, “I’m not going anywhere, daughter. I won’t leave you.” Tears immediately flowed. The pain of my dad’s mistake was the roadblock in my way of fully yielding my whole heart to Him. 

What mistakes did your earthly father make that is limiting your relationship with your Heavenly Father?

Precious daughter, your Father in Heaven wants your entire heart. Allow Him to heal you of your daddy’s mistakes. You’ll never know Him as your Father if you continue to harbor pain from the mistakes your earthly father has made. 

Knowing God as your Father is more than just using “IAmAChildOfGod” as your Twitter name. It’s about knowing His characteristics—that He is kind, faithful, and merciful. It’s about knowing that His love for you is perfect, unfailing, and never ending. It’s about knowing that He rejoices over just one thought of you. It’s about KNOWING Him.

Today, allow the Lord to heal the wounds in your heart. Let that healing bring forgiveness to your father’s mistakes. Your father isn’t God; it’s in his nature to make mistakes, just as it’s in yours. The only perfect Father is seated in Heavenly places. Whether your father was or wasn’t there for you, know that there is no such thing as a fatherless child. He has adopted you, daughter. No matter what your past looks like, you are seated with Him at His table.

A child is secure when they know that they have a father that protects them, provides for them, and loves them. Yes, Christ came to save us—to redeem us—to reconcile us back. But He also came to grant us the same relationship that He has with the Father.

Stop seeing yourself as fatherless by worrying, doubting, and fearing. Embrace the greatest love of your Father in Heaven. 

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. –Psalm 68:5