The Love of God Our Father

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Where does your love for others come from?

As followers of Jesus, God calls us to love others out of the love He shows us (John 13:34–35). This godly love is a much greater source than any feeling of goodwill, however strong it may be. That’s why understanding and meditating on His love for us is so important—it’s the lifeblood of our love for others. Without it, the unconditional, unselfish love of Christ is impossible for us to act out. 

Yahweh our God pours out His love on us in so many beautiful and diverse ways, but three ways in particular have been specifically impactful to me—and I think they will be to you too. I want to explore together how God shows His love to us as Father, Creator, and Friend.

Our Heavenly Father

See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!

1 John 3:1

I was truly blessed with an incredible earthly father. My dad is far from perfect, but the way he has loved me all growing up and into my adulthood always comes to mind when I think about my Heavenly Father’s love. I think about his wisdom and guidance, his comforting presence, and his hugs. (He confided once that giving hugs doesn’t come naturally to him, but he does it anyway because he knows it’s important to his kids—let me tell you, my dad gives the best hugs.) 

In 2022, I spent three months working at a traveling Christian summer camp putting on week-long camps for teenagers. It was the first time in my life I had really been away from my family. I had gone on school trips before and to summer camp myself, but those several day excursions were nothing compared to my full three month adventure. 

The months before I flew out to Alabama for training, a lot went through my mind. Not only was I going to be away from my family, but I also didn’t know anyone I’d be working with. I was seriously going to be out on my own. And I was so anxious about it.

I prayed every day in those weeks leading up to my start date: “God, lead and guide me. Give me wisdom and strength to do what I need to. Provide for all my needs. Help me to honor You in my work. And please give me someone on my team who gives good hugs!”

The last part felt silly. Why would an almighty God care about something so insignificant? But I prayed it anyway.

My first week meeting the team I’d be traveling with, I met a girl named Anna who gave me the most bone-crushing hug I’ve ever had. It was like she believed she could make me taller if she applied the right pressure. We had learned each other’s names mere moments before. And I knew immediately: She’s my hugger. God answered my silly, insignificant prayer.

⁹Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:9–11

Anna certainly gave the best hugs of anyone on my team that summer, but something surprised me more: she wasn’t the only one. My entire team of nineteen people was the most physically affectionate group I’ve ever been around—constant playful punches, fist bumps, group hugs, holding hands in prayer, and cramming way too many people on one couch. God our Father did what He loves to do: not just answer a prayer, but answer it in abundance, more than we even think necessary or possible. He showed me that He was with me even when my earthly family couldn’t be. 

Our God is a Father who deeply loves His children. He doesn’t answer every question with a yes—anyone who’s prayed can tell you that—but I believe it's true that our compassionate Father delights in giving good gifts to His children.

Coming into working at this camp, my view of God was incomplete. He is without a doubt mighty and great, deep in the inner workings of the most important events of history. But He is also gentle and kind, present with you and with me in our day-to-day moments. When we bring Him the desires of our hearts and lay them down at His feet, we are not met with indifference but attention and love. 

When I started to see God this way, as a perfect and compassionate Father, it changed the way I approached Him. The summer of ‘22 was when I started calling God “Abba” when I pray, modeling Romans 8:15:

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father!"

Referring to Him with this name keeps His lovingkindness toward me at the forefront of my mind when I pray. It helps me bring my requests to Him with a humble confidence. At the same time, it reminds me to trust that when He does answer “no,” He does it in love, seeing what I don’t and knowing what’s best. 

I started seeing God’s love as a good father all over my Bible. His provision. His protection. The way He nurtures His children. The way He disciplines us. His heart toward us.

¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

¹²As far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

¹³As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Psalm 103:11–13

Do you see God like this? 

Your Heavenly Father loves you deeply, personally, actively. Do you believe it? 

I know not every follower of Christ has a good earthy father. For some of you, “God the Father” may conjure up images of a distant, irritable, or even abusive man. You read the analogies in these scriptures and they just don’t land with you.

Friend, please hear me: that is not your Heavenly Father’s heart toward you. In prayer and in faith, let your God redeem your view of this word. Let Him give you a new view of what it means to have a Father.

Put It Into Action:

• Identify something that matters to you, but you feel is too small for God. Spend time today bringing it to Him in prayer. 

• Take five minutes (or longer!) to sit without distraction and reflect on God’s love for you as your Father. 

• If we, as believers, are all God’s children, then we are also each other’s siblings in His holy family. Love your brothers and sisters “not in word or speech, but in action and in truth” (1 John 3:18). 

May God our Father give you all grace and peace in Him.