Day 22
Bible Text: Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)
“And he will be called: Everlasting Father.”
Do you find it interesting that Jesus (“for a child is born to us…”) is also named “everlasting Father?” Is this because the Father and his Son, Jesus, are one? In John 14:9-10, Jesus says to his disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…the words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”. If we want to see who the Father is, how he feels about you and me, and how he treats us, we can look at Jesus in the narratives of Scripture! And notice how “fatherly” Jesus is with his disciples. He calls them “children”, and loves them as a good father would love his children. He doesn’t blast them or expel them, but lovingly calls them upward, as though he believes they will eventually get it! This is how he treats you and me, lovingly calling us upward, to believe and trust in him more and more.
In a country undergoing a “crisis of fatherlessness," we long for good fathers, fathers who will stand for truth, who are wise, who self-sacrificially protect and care for their children. No matter how old you are, will you let the Lord Jesus, father you today? Will you allow him to love you, protect you, speak words of wisdom and direction into you and care for you? Will you let your guard down, and let him speak life into the dead places in your heart? I believe he so longs to do this, even more than we crave it ourselves.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, father us, as you fathered your disciples and followers of your day. Help us overcome our distrust, reluctance and even rebellious tendencies. And then, allow us to serve your people around us, that we may carry on Jesus’ ministry of fathering in your winsome, kind way. And one by one, may we see a revival of people changed from the inside out, and full to overflowing with your love! In Jesus’ name.
By Pastor Kevin Schuessler
“And he will be called: Everlasting Father.”
Do you find it interesting that Jesus (“for a child is born to us…”) is also named “everlasting Father?” Is this because the Father and his Son, Jesus, are one? In John 14:9-10, Jesus says to his disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…the words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”. If we want to see who the Father is, how he feels about you and me, and how he treats us, we can look at Jesus in the narratives of Scripture! And notice how “fatherly” Jesus is with his disciples. He calls them “children”, and loves them as a good father would love his children. He doesn’t blast them or expel them, but lovingly calls them upward, as though he believes they will eventually get it! This is how he treats you and me, lovingly calling us upward, to believe and trust in him more and more.
In a country undergoing a “crisis of fatherlessness," we long for good fathers, fathers who will stand for truth, who are wise, who self-sacrificially protect and care for their children. No matter how old you are, will you let the Lord Jesus, father you today? Will you allow him to love you, protect you, speak words of wisdom and direction into you and care for you? Will you let your guard down, and let him speak life into the dead places in your heart? I believe he so longs to do this, even more than we crave it ourselves.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, father us, as you fathered your disciples and followers of your day. Help us overcome our distrust, reluctance and even rebellious tendencies. And then, allow us to serve your people around us, that we may carry on Jesus’ ministry of fathering in your winsome, kind way. And one by one, may we see a revival of people changed from the inside out, and full to overflowing with your love! In Jesus’ name.
By Pastor Kevin Schuessler
1 Comment
Words I needed to hear today. ⤠Amen!