In honor of Father's Day it's important to pause and take a look at how God loves us as our heavenly Father. That can give instruction to earthly fathers on how to live. Here are some attributes of God's Fatherly love for us.

God is a patient father. Even though we mess up, we screw up, we do bad things, we can go days and weeks where we mess up and sin every day. God NEVER turns His back on us and says "you've gone too far and now I cannot love you." No, He is patient with us. 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

God doesn't want harm or hurt to come to us. Even though we do things that would or should displease God, not only is He patient towards us...He desires for us to be safe, and to come back home. He does not look at our sin and say "well I hope they get what they deserve." Matthew 18:12-14 says “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”

God listens to us when we come to Him. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Fathers would do good to their children by remembering that when your kids come to you with ANYTHING, they need to listen and be available. That is how God is with us.

May the love of God our heavenly Father be lavished upon you during this Father's Day season.