Matthew 6:9: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”

Our Father has an open-door policy, inviting us to come to Him. He offers us everything we could ever need to live our lives in peace, love and abundance.

Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Doesn’t that just sound amazing? 

The story of God begins and ends with His presence. The garden of Eden was the first place we encountered God’s presence, when He visited Adam and Eve, according to Genesis 3:8. Because they sinned against God, they lost the privilege of His presence, as they were sent away to live outside of Eden. Today sin still hinders our experience of his presence and has us confused about his purpose a destiny for our lives.

But in grace, God sent Jesus to pay the price to overcome our sin and to ensure his destiny and purpose for our lives.

Galatians 4:6: “Because you are sons/daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba Father.”

To cry out “Abba Father,” expresses a depth of intensity and urgency by which the Holy Spirit within us cries out to God as our Father. The word “Abba” is the Aramaic equivalent of “daddy” and most probably refers to the loving nature of the Father. The One who loves and accepts unconditionally. The One who provides for all our needs and wants and will never reject us.  

Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

The Father also has an authoritative side. The One who corrects and sets boundaries. He deals with matters in our lives that need to be dealt with as He steers us into our destiny.

2 Peter 3:9 reads, “The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Repentance is key in our relationship and experience of his presence. In Zechariah 1:3, God urges us to return to Him. Then will He return to us.  Dear friends, this is a choice. Only if we choose to return to God and repent of our sins, can He fulfil His promises in our lives, because He is a just God.

Being just means that He is perfectly fair. He is equally fair in meeting our rewards, as well as our punishments. If we keep on sinning, we force Him to withhold His promises and rewards from us. In Hebrews 10 we read that if we deliberately keep on sinning, only a fearful expectation of judgement is left. Verse 29, says, “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” BUT, Chronicles 30:9 says, “For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

This is amazing grace and amazing love!!

James 2:23 states, “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness and he was called a friend of God.” In Exodus 33:1 we read that God spoke face to face to Moses, as one speaks to a friend. Do you realize that God becomes your friend when you believe in Him and obey Him?  He wants to share his secrets with you, like He did with Moses, Abraham and many others we read about in the Bible. When God was angry with the Israelites for making the golden calf, Moses spoke to Him and He relented from bringing disaster on His people. It is so beautiful to read the story about Abraham pleading for Sodom in Genesis 18, where God says: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” He honoured their friendship enough to tell Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom. He gave Abraham the opportunity to bargain with Him for Sodom. He knew that Abraham would try to find a legal reason why He should not destroy Sodom. Sadly Abraham could not find 10 righteous people in Sodom, yet God sent his angels to rescue Lot, Abraham’s nephew from the destruction. How awesome is He?

God’s heart is not to destroy us, but to save us. He needs true friends that can intercede for his people, so that He can relent from punishment justly through the blood of Jesus. He is always seeking an opportunity to be gracious to us.

Ezekiel 18:32 “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for being my Father and my Friend.  Amen.

Take all of me. Amen.