It’s almost been a year, about a year, since I’ve last written on this blog! I’ve actually been writing a bit for Elisha House blog. And honestly, I have been chipping away at this article since Father’s Day but haven’t really gotten around to it until recently.
I’ve been thinking about what it means to have God as Father since Father’s Day. The statement ‘God is your father’ can sometimes be used as a pat answer, like this statement solves all your “daddy-issues.” The reality of God as my Father does make a difference, but often in the context if one has had a good experience with a dad. In one auto-biography that I read recently this statement created more distance between the author and God. She grew up in a home dictated by the law of obeying the rules in order to be a good girl, to be viewed favourably, and to stay out of trouble. Her dad abandoned her family when she was 5. During that time someone told her ‘God is your father’ she misplaced her home culture into her relationship with God, which led to years of guilt and eventually functional to almost quitting Christianity because she constantly felt like a failure and never could measure up to the standards she felt God was holding her to.
God wants the unwanted. I think the greatest relational pain occurs in a family, especially when a father functionally rejects his children through work, addiction, play, prioritizing friends over family, etc… Dad has chosen something over family and the child in the wake of that choice wonders “Why was I not good enough? Why am I not that special?” I do not want to overlook the pain that this causes. I too am familiar with this pain. Moving too quickly by saying “God is your Father” can create further harm. However, in the end, God never rejecting, never overlooking, never showing favouritism and so this is the best news ever in a situation where dad has failed to be dad.
I know the struggle to measure up, to be good enough. My own relationship with my earthly dad was challenging but I’m thankful I never struggled with the reality of God as Father. This doesn’t mean I did not have misconceptions or lies I had to work out because I did. But I always knew deep down God was different, even when I tried to run away from that knowledge. As I’ve been thinking more of God as Father, one aspect of God as our Father that we don’t talk about often is that God wants me and you.
God wants me. God wants you.
The beauty of God wanting us is that he does not need us to complete him or add to him or his glory. He is not desperate to complete his family by adopting us. But he chooses to involve his children in his kingdom work. And that’s the beauty of God’s love and grace. He made us ours when he rescued us from sin (the figurative flight out of Egypt). He is my God and your God because He redeemed us and made us legally ours in Christ’s death. We are wanted by God to bring glory to him.
He chose us in spite of knowing all about us before creation. He knew exactly what we would struggle with, what our sin patterns would be, where and when we would stray, what would tempt us. As the old saying goes, he knows us warts and all and still chooses to remain faithful. There is no whiff of rejection in God. Nothing we can do will make us fall out of favor. No amount of performance can make our heavenly crown any bigger or more shiny. There is no favoritism with God where one child gets the attention and another is left behind. There is no such thing of standards being unmet. We are still wanted and pursued by God even when we disappoint him.
When I fail, and I do every day, because of my sin, I know I can go to God with no fear. Not because my sin is little or because it doesn’t grieve God. My sin is big, it’s a stench before him, I grieve my Lord and Master more than I care to admit to you or to God. But I run to him because he made me. He’s the one who set out of a covenant with me. He initiated his relationship with me, bound himself to me in Christ, and said that until I puny Rhonda stop the sun from rising and setting, he will remain faithful (Jeremiah 33, OK, my name isn’t in the passage!). God still wants me; his mercies are new every morning. God will not give up on you.
In spite of my failings and ugliness, God delights in each and everyone of his children. Zephaniah 3 states that he “rejoices over us with loud singing.” He’s not in denial over what we are (weak, struggling, and often imprudent children) or what we do (sin) but he chooses to not only overlook or offenses but actually hurl them into the depths of the sea and forget about them forever. This came at a cost, another piece of evidence of God’s love and longing for us. Jesus Christ came to die, to take that penalty that is rightfully ours, to make us holy and righteous, fit for a King.
Amazing love.
1 And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!2 ‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more. [Refrain]3 He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain]5 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]
Be Still My Soul 