The Ultimate Father

I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. – (2 Corinthians 6:18, HCSB)

I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord All-Powerful. – (2 Corinthians 6:18, ERV)

And I will be for you as a Father, and you will be for Me as sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty! – (2 Corinthians 6:18, VOICE)

No matter what our experience is with earthly fathers, we have a Heavenly Father who knows us completely and loves us perfectly through all things and at all times. It is remarkable that the King of ALL considers us His daughters and sons, not because of what we do, but rather because we are His created. It is up to us to receive what He freely gives. Each time we call on Him and come before Him, He accepts us as His own, and provides all that we need. God is good, and His love lasts forever. May we ever seek the Lord and His great love, for He is always near, ready to be the Father we need as He calls us His sons and daughters.

A Father above,

Who calls us His own;

His sons and daughters,

Each is fully known.

With love unending,

Peace and patience too;

His encouragement,

Helps carry us through.

Through ev’ry season,

His love can be found;

Hope never ending,

In Him peace abounds.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our loving Father who calls us sons and daughters. Thank You that it is not an earned status, but rather one that You freely offer to all who seek Your face. Forgive us for forgetting the power that is present in knowing You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will bring all things before You and trust is Your unfailing love. Show us how to love those around us well, so that many may come into a lasting relationship with You, the ultimate Father of all. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your loving kindness and grace and embrace the family that we are welcomed into through Your love and grace. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

God in His holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows. – Psalm 68:5

Our Good, Good Father

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. – (Hebrews 12:28, NLT)

 

Our inheritance from our Heavenly Father is the only inheritance that lasts. Though our earthly fathers may pass on good things – be it morals, life lessons, or monetary treasures – not one compares to that of the salvation and eternal hope that is held in the hands of our Heavenly Father. As so many rightly celebrate earthly fathers today, may we not forget our Heavenly Father, as it is through Him that we have light and life and hope forever. May we worship the Lord with all that we are, and give Him thanks for the men that He has placed on our path to father us well. May the fatherless know of His love, and men of faith rise up and fill in the gaps in tangible ways.

 

All thanks be to God,

Our Father indeed;

He sees where we are,

And meets all our need.

Hope for the hopeless,

And light for the lost;

Freedom from our sin,

For He paid the cost.

We give You thanks too,

For the men You’ve raised;

To father us well,

O Lord, we sing praise.

God, You are so good,

And I stand in awe;

Such a good father,

Perfect, without flaw.

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our perfect Father, and You love us without limits. Thank You that no matter what sort of earthly father we have experienced – good, bad or anything in between – You are the only One who is perfect in all of Your ways and worthy of all of our praise. Forgive us for not seeing You as the ultimate Father, when earthly fathers fall short. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would recognize that all are a work in progress, and You are the one whom we are to worship in all things and at all times. Help us to love and support well, the fathers that are around us. May they come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we look to You as our good, good Father. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; …write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

For a listen to a great song, Good Good Father, by Housefires, click the highlighted title. 🙂

The Next Right Thing

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. – (Psalm 82:3-4)

 

We are not all charged to do everything, but we are each called to do something. Each of the needs mentioned in the verses above exist both globally and locally. There are orphans, kids in foster care, there are poor, imprisoned, there are those who are in need, and many trapped in the hands of the wicked and unable to set themselves free. We are called to walk through life with our eyes, ears and hearts open. When we do, we are willing to hear the Lord’s call, and answer however He asks. Sometimes, it is in a way that seems small and insignificant to us, yet our willingness to respond will mean the world to the recipient.

 

A few days ago, I had the joy of working with some ladies from my church to put together welcome boxes for kids being pulled from their homes by CPS and placed in foster care. Some of these kiddos barely have the opportunity to pack even a change of clothes, so these boxes are a special way to offer comfort in the midst of crisis. Each box contains encouraging notes, gifts and toiletries, to remind the child that there are people who do care, despite the chaos that is currently surrounding them. If it weren’t for the obedience and listening ear of one of my friends, none of us would have been aware of the need, nor would we have gathered to do a small thing that we each could do. May we each go forth this day, with eyes, ears and hearts open, ready to hear how the Lord might call us to defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed, or how we can help rescue the weak and needy from the hands of the wicked.

 

To find out more about making Welcome Boxes, please contact: JenniferJoyKeener@gmail.com

Lord help me to walk,

with eyes open wide;

aware of the needs,

that others may hide.

Let me be Your hands,

where I can go serve;

show me how to love,

as the lost deserve.

Help me see the need,

and then show me how;

to do what You ask,

not later, right now.

Each day, may I rise,

ready to go be;

Your heart and Your hands,

to set captives free.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Defender and Rescuer. Thank You that You saved us from all of our ugliness and delivered us from the calamity that was to come. Thank You that You call us to be a part of moving beside You in defending those who cannot defend themselves, helping those in need, and rescuing those who are stuck in situations that are too great for them to get out of on their own. Forgive us for turning a blind eye to need, or for standing still as we allow the great need to overwhelm us, rather than simply listen to Your call and how we can do the next right thing. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will rise up and be ready to do each next thing that You ask of us. Lead us to love with all that we are, just as You love us. May many come into a saving relationship with You, as they come to know the hope that is held in You alone. Be glorified O God, as we choose to do each next right thing. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. – Psalm 69:16

The Faultless Father

One of my favorite stories that my dad likes to tell, is when I was quite young, I had a cracker that I had broken somehow, and with total trust and assurance that my dad could indeed do what I was asking, I extended the fractured pieces toward him and said, “Daddy, fix it?”

 

Though our human fathers may be capable of many great things, not one of them can fix in us, all that is fractured. However, our Heavenly Father, can. I know today is a mixed bag of emotions for many, as not all have access to their earthly fathers, nor the desire to do so. There is a Father that we all have access to, who is waiting with arms open wide. Jesus came to heal the broken, love the hurting and save all those who are feeling lost and alone. Peace is found in Him who created each of us, and knows us better than we know ourselves.

 

Cautious, Super Spouse & Adventurous a few years ago…

May we each make time,

to celebrate You;

our ultimate Dad,

whom hope is held through.

Please bless all the dads,

who honor You well;

that love as You ask,

in whose hearts You dwell.

Be near to the ones,

who have lost their dad;

memories of joy,

rather than the sad.

Stay close too, to those,

whose fathers are not;

what they’re meant to be,

will You fill that spot?

Lord Jesus, today,

I’m happy to say;

You’re our perfect Dad,

on this Father’s Day.

 

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

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that whether we have a wonderful dad, an absent dad, or anything in between – You are our Father without fault, who loves us unconditionally. Thank You that You see and know us, yet still love, in spite of ourselves. Thank You that when we come to You and commit our lives to You, You welcome us into Your family forever. Forgive us for our failings with our fathers, and heal fractured places in each of us. May today be a reason for all to celebrate fathers – and above all, a celebration of You, our Heavenly Father. Let our hearts hold fast to the security we have in You, and may we live and love as lights to all whom encounter. May many come to know You as their Heavenly Father today. Be exalted as we celebrate You and the fathers who reflect Your heart and character today. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1