Here’s a powerful thought…
Your Father in Heaven delights when He sees you.
For those of us whose earthly fathers failed at their God-given role in their children’s lives, the thought of God smiling over us can seem impossible. But it’s true. You are wanted and cherished by your heavenly Father, welcomed into His family, and given full access to Him through Jesus.
Let me explain…
Christians are the adopted children of our Heavenly Father and brothers and sisters with Christ. Jesus is the Son of God from eternity past and became man through the virgin Mary. He is eternally both God and Son, whereas we are made sons of God by our connection to the Father through Jesus.
There is no adoption opportunity apart from the incarnate Christ because
“no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27 NASB)
The Son reveals to us the nature and character of the Father. Jesus’ life demonstrates how sons of God (you and I) are to live in the midst of a corrupt and sinful world.
Our adoption as sons is a demonstration of the elective grace of God.
This is incredibly important to understand. It’s an outright rejection of the message you got clearly through your father’s abandonment and a revolution of the negative conclusions you came to about your worth in this world as a child.
Accepting this truth will inform your perspective and totally affect your peace and how you live here forward.
God sees the sin and disobedience of those who have not believed and put their faith in Christ for salvation.
Alternately, in those who believe, He sees the righteousness of Christ and thus views them as sons. Galatians 4:4–5 says…
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (ESV)
As the adopted sons of God, we are redeemed from the punishment of the law, through Christ. God no longer sees us as guilty but as righteous, as Ephesians 1:7 teaches…
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”
Paul goes on to explain that “because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:6–7).
Not only does your Heavenly Father see the Son in you, but He has given you the Holy Spirit as well. By the eternal Son becoming man to save you from sin and corruption, the Father also provided you with the eternal Holy Spirit that you might become His adopted son.
This is profound and we so often miss this! The Holy Spirit is a constant companion in your life, also never leaving nor abandoning you. What amazing gifts that can only come from a perfect Father in heaven!
Though your earthly father may have failed you, your Heavenly Father continues to give you grace and mercy because His love never fails.
Our slavery to sin is gone and the Spirit of God allows us to call Him “Abba,” which means “daddy.”
As His adopted son, your Heavenly Father sees you as you were created to be – priceless.
I urge you to embrace the truth of God’s never-ending and limitless love for you. It is the catalyst of your healing and learning to embrace, extend, and master forgiveness. It was a game-changer and a LIFE-changer for me when I finally made these connections and let the Heavenly Father’s enduring love and truths take over.
My Brother, press the “delete” button over and over until you’ve erased the lies written over your childhood that guided your reality. Instead, you can type, “I forgive because I have been forgiven. I accept my Heavenly Father’s truths about me. I am wanted, unique, and meant for a glorious purpose.” THAT is the truth.
To learn more about how to heal from the wounds of fatherlessness, and the real truth about how your Heavenly Father sees you, order your copy of my book Man Enough to Forgive.