Missing Categories

God is incredibly devoted to convincing His children of His passionate Father-love for each of us!
I grew up without a "Dad" in the home. In fact, I've not had any contact with my biological father for over 24 years. My Mom was great! She could throw any ball with the best of them and talk sports or whatever, but she wasn't and couldn't be a Father. I didn't know it at the time, but I was learning about Fathering from my "fatherless" experience." Later in life, the Lord showed me that I had no perception of the fulness and kind of love and care that He intended to communicate through His Word when He speaks of Himself as my "Father." When I read verses having to do with His Father-love, I accepted it like I would accept the statement that "the grass is green." I recieved it as a fact, but it had no lasting impact on me- I felt nothing when I heard that. I probably had more of a question mark in my mind than anything. I had a vocabulary in my head, for which there was no category in my heart!
This is something that every father needs to understand.
Every child learns what it means to be a Father and be loved by a Father from their earthly father. Whether your father was absent, disinterested, cruel, abusive, caring, sensitive, work-aholic, gentle, or whatever; we impose that understanding of Fatherhood on God. Dad's be ware! What are we teaching our children about God in how we show them Father-love? If I am distant and always criticizing my children, that's how they will grow up to think of God as Father. How blasphemous! If I am absent (from divorce or work-aholism) I rob my children of the substance of the meaning of Father-love. My children will relate to God as if He were distant and they will undoubtedly, constantly feel undue condemnation! That will rob them of the joy God intends them to receive from their relationship to Him. Dads, we are theology professors whether that is our vocation or not! If you have children, you are teaching them something about God. What is it?
God's creative lessons in my life
Nearly a year ago, the Lord started me on a "Father's Love Track." He is jealous that I understand and sense what He means when He says He loves me as a Father. The Lord, My Father, began to open my ears to hear Him speaking through my children. I have learned so much about my Heavenly Father through watching and listening to my little girls relate to me.
*One Sunday, I was feeling dry and God seemed distant. I struggled all day to communicate that to God in prayer and ask Him to give me a greater sense of His nearness. I prayed what I could articulate and I prayed in the Spirit, but still felt like I hadn't quite been able to nail it. Then, came nap time and my little girl, Emily, asked me as I was putting her to bed, "Daddy, do you have to go to work?" "No." I said. "I get to stay home with you all day!" Then she said, "Daddy, I love it when you're home!" That's it! That's what I had been trying to communicate to my Heavenly Father all day! "Abba, Papa, Father, Daddy, I love it when You're home!
*My oldest daughter is now 4 1/2 years old and not as light as she used to be, but her favorite thing of all is to sit my lap or have me hold her. She just loves it when I am near. We don't have to be doing anything, she just enjoys me. I can relate to that, and it challenges me constantly to never grow out of climbing into Father God's lap and just being with him. For that reason, if for no other, I will probably be holding my little girl when she is twelve!
*The front steps to our house are widely spaced and uneven. This has caused many a fall and scraped knee for my little girls. One day, we were walking to the van, and Emily was standing at the top of the stairs, rather timid about making her way down. No doubt she was wondering if this would be another time that she would end up flat on her face at the bottom with tears flowing. I came behind her and offered my hand which she accepted. The timidness was gone! She trecked down all the stairs as if she were six feet tall and had been scaling those stairs for years and years! Her confidence came from being in the grip of her Daddy. There is no way I would let her fall! Once again, My Father pulled back the veil and let me see the fulness of confidence and lack of fear that I am supposed to know because of being in relationship with Him.
*One of the best examples of My Father's sweet communication came through a very special time with my girls during one of our favorite activities- DANCING! That's right- Dancing! Someone coined the phrase "Caucasian Rhythmic Disorder." I have tested positive for that one! But we have a great time. We turn the music up loud and go wild all over the living room. Sometimes I hold up to two girls and whirl and jump and whatever else I can get my tired body to do. One such time, I had my oldest (Beth) standing on my toes and we were dancing our hearts out! At first it was the music that got me moving, but after only a short while, I was dancing out of love for my little girl. She had such a huge smile and was giggling like only a beautiful little girl can. All of a sudden, it was no longer me dancing with Beth, but it was Father God dancing with me, His son. It was Zephaniah 3:17 in living illustration.
"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;he will exult over you with loud singing."
Maybe you have struggled with feeling the reality of what God communicates in His Word about His Father love for you. I don't want to sound formulaic, but I want to offer just a couple of pieces of help. Please simply ask God to give you a sense of His Father Love for you. It is one thing to know that God is a Father. It is another thing to see your face as that of the child sitting in His lap having his face cuddled and his hair being stroked. May I also recommend a few resources that have helped me sense more of the Father's pleasure and delight? 1) Experiencing Father's Embrace by Jack Frost; 2) The Singing God by Sam Storms; 3) The PAPA Prayer by Larry Crabb; and 4) The Pleasures of God by John Piper.

God's Multi-faceted Love Is Demonstrated Love
Romans 5:8 tells us that God "shows" us His love by sending His Son to die for us even while we were still enemies of God. He continues to demonstrate His love for us by placing us in this world which He created, beautified by His love and infinite creativity. Even more, Romans 5:5 says that God's love has been "poured into" our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Also, Romans 8:15, 16 says "you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,. . . ." Which means that the Holy Spirit is the one Who is convincing me of and teaching me about the Father love of God. Thank you, Holy Spirit! Thank you, Father, God! Thank you, Jesus!

You may be asking "What does this have to do with Reforming Reformed?" Well, you know we Reformed types are known for formulating precise theological definitions and clarifying distinctions, but sometimes, that's what we settle for. May we never be satisfied with knowing that God is a Father to somebody somewhere! God is Your Father, if you trust in Jesus alone for your acceptance into His favor. Jesus has completely satisfied all the requirements of God's Justice and law on your behalf, so we can celebrate the reality of Romans 8:1 that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." When God sends His Spirit to make a spiritually dead man alive, He sends Him to reside within the one to whom He has just given life. This Spirit, Romans 8:15 tells us, is the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry "Abba, Father!"
We claim to know more fully the Covenant love of the Sovereign God to Hell-deserving sinners like us. (I glory in the bright grace that floods my soul from the wonderful revelations we call Reformed Theology!) But, knowing more of the contours of that love and the depth of our unworthiness, let us worship louder than the angels! Why do the Arminians have so many more good songs to God celebrating His love! May we know and may we press on to know and feel the love of Father God!

Maybe you have other resources which have helped you with the same things. Please leave a comment and mention those! Also, maybe God speaks to you through your children and you have some favorite special times to share, please share those as well!

May Father God bless you with more of a sense of His love for YOU!