Father’s Day was a little over a week ago, and the idea of honoring the man whose blood made it possible to be alive today can be an achy one for many-especially women.
It’s been known that the way we view a biological dad could be the way we perceive our Heavenly Father. If our dads were stern, perfectionists, unavailable, vengeful, unforgiving, etc., that could be the way we view our Heavenly Father. Likewise, if our dad was tender, forgiving, merciful, engaged, and so on, that’s the view we can also have of our Heavenly Father.
During the early years of my faith walk, I enjoyed a honeymoon phase with the Lord Jesus and His Gospel of Grace. I heard the message of forgiveness, responded, and was hooked on the Love He bestowed on us on the cross of Calvary-not wanting anyone to be lost but come to know His saving Grace.
During the many years that I listened to messages, teachings, or sermons of God’s Word, I never fully understood the importance of embracing or receiving God’s gift of Grace. What then is Grace or Unmerited Favor? Grace, which is defined as a gift we don’t deserve, can only be bestowed by God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son. My understanding was, that to receive God’s blessings and favor in my life, I had to do and live the Christian life perfectly. Many of us have related to this view of doing (following rules) instead of being (just as I am) from the expectations of our parents-especially dads.
Where’s the connection and the disconnection of receiving God’s gift of Grace-that is, a life of rest? See the following narrative that Pastor Joseph Prince gives us using the Apostle Paul’s own words…
“Paul warned the Galatians against turning back to the law-rules after beginning in Grace. He said, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace [unmerited favor] of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6–7). Paul takes this very seriously. He calls any gospel apart from The Gospel of Grace (God’s unmerited favor) a perversion. Attempting to be justified by the works of the Ten Commandments is a perversion of the Gospel of Christ.”
Going back to the correlation between an earthy father’s love and our Heavenly Father’s “Perfect” Love is the need for a woman to feel unconditionally accepted and cherished by both. But what happens when the earthly father’s representation of grace is not a healthy one, nor his encouraging and validating presence is not present in a young girl’s life? There is a void that takes place that only our Father Who Is In Heaven can ultimately provide.
Ladies, when we truly come to understand and embrace the Heavenly Father’s unconditional love for us and have it make a way into our hearts, we will no longer want to go out and look for validation elsewhere-not even in romantic love. There is something powerfully life-changing about God’s Grace. Trusting in the Father’s Love brings total self-acceptance, transformation, and rest. The Heavenly Father’s unconditional acceptance and GRACE is the only thing that can deliver, heal, and restore the life of any precious woman who’s reading this post. Please share with us below if you’ve been transformed by the Father’s “Perfect” Love.
He has done it for me, and is still restoring me as I embrace His Perfect Love!!
Simply Balanced! 