But I said to you, 'Don't be afraid! The LORD your God is going before you. He will fight for you, just as you saw Him do in Egypt. And you saw how the LORD your God cared for you again and again here in the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child (Deuteronomy 1:29-31 NLT).
Moses spoke these encouraging words to the people of Israel to remind them that their heavenly Father was always ahead of them, anticipating and preparing for their every need.
Good fathers do that. As you read some of the essential qualities of a good father included in the list below (from MomJunction), consider that Father God demonstrates all these qualities, as evidenced by the scripture that follows each one, and many, many more:
He is protective—Psalm 32:7 You [God] are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Affection is His middle name—Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed.
He is a wall of trust and security—Psalm 9:10 And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
He is the source of encouragement—Romans 8:31 What shall we say to then? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He has the patience to listen—Isaiah 65:24 “Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.”
He provides the necessities of life—Matthew 6:32 Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
Spending time with him is fun for the kids—Psalm 16:11 You make me know the path of life; in Your presence is unbounded joy, in Your right hand eternal delight.
He is the best teacher—Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
What could be more reassuring to a child than to have a father who possessed these wonderful traits and could give wise counsel and instruction? Some of us did have such a father, but as we face life's ongoing challenges and decisions, we may have lost that father or become distanced from him. Sometimes, we are well into adulthood before realizing our fathers' wisdom.
Father God waits patiently for us to ask for His help. Matthew 6:8 (NLT) tells us, …your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Imagine that. He created us and knew us better than we know ourselves. He goes before us, just as He did the Israelites. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and He will help you (Psalm 37:5 NLT). Our Father really does know best.
What is the crossroad you are facing? How impossible is the challenge before you? Are you overwhelmed or distraught with unresolved, unanswered prayer? God’s Holy Spirit assists us as we run toward our Heavenly Father for guidance, comfort, and help. The MESSAGE Bible gives good instruction from Romans 8:26-28: Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside; He is helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs and our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
God is a good Father who always knows what is best for us.
© 2024, Chris Custer Werre
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