GOD – The Ultimate Father

Dear Friend,

This coming Sunday, Father’s Day, can be a difficult day for many people, for a variety of reasons. Some may have never known their father, others may not have had a good father, for others their father may no longer be with them. Perhaps you are one of those who finds the day hard. 

We all have some idea of what a good father looks like. The good news is that God exceeds and goes beyond that picture we have. He is the only truly good, loving and perfect Father.

Today, I want to focus on God, our Ultimate Father. No matter what our experience has been concerning our own father, God is available to each one of us as a good and loving father. His desire is for each of us to know what it truly means to be his child and to know him as Father.

Psalm 103 gives a lovely description of God as our Ultimate Father.

What are some of the things we learn about God as our Father in this psalm?

1. God our Father loves to give us gifts.

He fills my life with good things. (v5)

Just like a loving father loves to give good things to his children, God loves to bless us with many gifts and everything he gives us is good. He knows just what we need and when to give it to us. He gives, not because we have earned it or deserved it, but purely because he loves us and loves to give to us.

2. God our Father is unfailingly loving.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (v8)

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. (v13)

Perhaps your father was a strict disciplinarian, you felt you could never live up to his expectations or he never recognised that you tried your best. God is not like that. He is never harsh with us. He never reminds us of our mistakes and failings, he doesn’t treat us unfairly. He always believes in us. His anger does not burn against us. Instead, he always shows us compassion and mercy. He encourages us to keep trying. He is patient with us. He knows our weaknesses and supports us, helping us to overcome. In this psalm, we are told three times about God’s love for us. We are told God’s love is unfailing and is forever. We know that nothing in this world lasts forever. But God, who is over and above everything in this world, and who created everything has a love for you and me which endures forever, not just whilst we are on this earth, but on into eternity.

The Hebrew word for ‘tender’ (in verse 13) can be translated as ‘womb’. The idea being that our Father has a mother’s nurturing love for his children. For me, this image is such a beautiful one. Will you allow God to nurture you? To carry you and care for you? Perhaps you need to spend a few moments meditating on just this verse and its meaning for you.

3. God our Father knows us inside out.

For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.’ (v14)

Another translation words it: 

‘For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.’ (NKJV)

As a child, no one knew me better than my parents did. They understood who I was. I could talk to them about my feelings and whatever I was going through and I knew they would listen. They knew my nature, my personality, my interests, my gifts etc.

4. God our Father forgives all our sins.

He forgives all my sins (v3)

Have you experienced the truth of that for yourself? God doesn’t just forgive some of my sins, he forgives all of them. It never gets to the point where I have reached beyond his forgiveness. How freeing to live knowing we are totally forgiven and no longer under any condemnation. God never brings up our past sins, he removes them from us completely. 

These are just some of the things which stood out to me as I spent time in this psalm meditating on God as my Father.

To Think About:
Spend some time reading and meditating on this psalm. Ask God to reveal to you more about his role as the Ultimate Father in your life.

Receive his gifts, his love, his knowledge of you and his forgiveness which he longs to pour into your life.

As you read today’s devotional which part in particular really spoke to you? What do you believe God is wanting you to know?

What are some of the things we learn about God as our Father in this psalm?