Courageous and Fatherhood of God

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Romans 8:1-16

I went with 7 other men last night to see the movie, Courageous. It is an excellent representation of the real-life struggles men face, acknowledging that life is hard and that we choose how we will face these challenges.

Several themes ran through the film, one being the enduring love that a father has for his children. Coupled with the sermon from our church this morning, based on the Romans verse above, I believe God was revealing something important in the hours of this day.

I have learned far less about God's fatherly love from the experience of being a son. Rather, I am learning about His love through the exercise of being a father to two children.

And I have come to this conclusion: If God's love toward me is anything like the love I feel toward my children, then I have greatly misunderstood his Fatherly heart. Like most boys who grow toward manhood, I've sought to earn and be deserving of His love - to live in a way that justifies His acceptance. To gain the respect of God the Father.

But I also know this: I love my children with unrelenting passion, unchangeable devotion and a sacrificial willingness strong enough to overcome most of the selfishness in my heart. To enjoy relating to them as their Daddy (Abba) is my delight.

If I, in my human frailty, can love my girls like this, then how vast is the love of God the Father for us? How strong is His love for me?

Today, if you know the love in your heart for a child, think on the magnitude of the Father's love toward you. His love is not a different kind of love. It is more and more of the same.