GOD Is for Us (Author unknown)

Bible Reading: Jeremiah 32:38 – 41

I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. Jeremiah 32:for0

Marquez has a pretty messed up pictured of God. Why? Because Marquez’s dad is CEO of a very large company. He travels a lot and doesn’t spend much time with his family or Marquez. Marquez thinks God is like his dad: distant and unreachable.

Nicole’s picture of God is messed up for different reasons. Her dad buys her everything. From the latest I-pod to the latest fashion in clothes. Nicole thinks God is like her dad: someone who’ll give her whatever she asks for.

Eddie’s picture of God is also messed up. He never even knew his father. His parents weren’t married when he was born. His father never wanted anything to do with his son he wasn’t ready for commitment. Eddie thinks God also has abandoned him.

Erica has a pretty messed up picture of God, too. Her dad is an alcoholic and drug addict, whose violent rages make the family run for cover whenever he starts drinking and using drugs. Erica thinks God is like her dad: angry and unloving.

What Marquez, Nicole, Eddie, and Erica are doing is pretty common. They’re basing their ideas about God on what their earthly fathers are like. A lot of people do that. But such pictures of God are often pretty messed up depending on the person's background.

No, matter what Marquez’s dad does, God promises to be with us always (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what Nicole’s earthly dad may do, her heavenly Father may not always give her everything she wants, but he’ll give her what’s good for her (Jeremiah 32:40). Even though Eddie doesn’t have a father in his life, God promises to be a “father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). And no matter how Erica’s dad acts, our heavenly Father loves us tenderly and unconditionally (Isaiah 54:10).

Your relationship with your earthly father may be good, or it may be poor.  Your relationship with your dad may be stable, or it may change from time to time. And it may be hard to separate your image of your heavenly Father from your experience with your earthly father. But no matter how good or bad your relationship with your parents may be, remember that your heavenly Father only wants to do good to you. and he’ll – if you let him.

REFLECT: Has God ever done something good for you through something that you thought was bad or negative? Do you trust him to do what’s best for you? Do you trust him enough to obey him, no matter what the immediate result might be?