January DTS 2012

Daddy, Dad, Papa, are names that I would not normally think of in addressing God. That the great God, the all powerful Creator of the universe, mighty in valour desires to be my Dad was just unfathomable. Yet He does!! This glorious living God want to be known as our Daddy.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18 NIV)

Learning about the Father heart of God this week was a revelation of an incomparable love, the love our heavenly father has for us. God is the perfect father…… For many of us, our image of God the father was limited to impressions of our earthly fathers. It all depended on whether your father was physically and emotionally present. Whether he taught you how to ride a bike or walked you down the aisle. All tokens of a father’s love. Still God’s love is greater! Our heavenly father far surpasses our earthly fathers.

“Even if my father and mother should desert me, you will take care of me” (Psalm 27:10 CEV)

“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Despite this great knowledge of His love, we can sometimes have self-inflicted hindrances obstructing our relationships with God. It is these hindrances that can often make it hard for us to believe the Father’s tender heart for us. Unforgiveness was just one of the barriers I had put up, preventing intimacy with God. It was when I brought all the baggage to the foot of the cross (Fear, shame, unforgiveness etc), I began to see a breakthrough. God revealed painful scars of my past yet he also provided me with a comforting shoulder to rest my head on. This week we had the opportunity to sit on the lap of our beloved Daddy, relinquish all our problems to Him and be wrapped in His arms. God only responded with great affection. He has good intentions for his children

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

 He wants to provide for us, to give us all that He has. He even promised

“all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine”.

Wow, that promise is just wonderful. You are as close to God as you want to be. Are we ready to step into our rightful identities as children of the amazing heavenly Father? Are we willing to call Him Daddy?

By Pelumi Botti, Nigeria/Swaziland