Counselors and therapists have coined a word to describe children who grow up in a family without a strong and compassionate father figure. He may have died, abandoned his family, or be so busy working and doing other things that he isn’t involved in the lives of his family. Children who grow up without a father present in their lives are said to have “father hunger.” They desperately look for some one or some thing to fill the void: alcohol, drugs, relationships, work, sex, things, etc. They don’t fine their needs met by any substitute, though. They have a father hunger that is never filled.
On a much larger scale, that is the story of all mankind. We were made to know God but our sin has separated us from Him. The Father is not absent, it is us who have left Him. Still, we have a Father hunger that nothing can satisfy but God our Father.
You see, our God is a Father! “Our Father in heaven” says it all. Everything else in the prayer is just the P.S. These simple words say it all. Everything God has for us and that He is for us is wrapped up in the word “Father.” When we come to Him we are not coming to an angry God, but to a friendly Father. He loves us so much He gave His own Son to redeem us.
Satan’s biggest lie is that God doesn’t care, that we are Fatherless, that there is no one watching over us. If Satan can get us to believe that his work is done. But it is a lie, for there is Someone who does care for us more than we can imagine, Someone who wants us to call Him ‘Father.’ Someone who wants to be a perfect Father to us.
Do you see God as your heavenly Father? Do you let Him love you, or do you withdraw from His love and block it? Do you trust Him as your Father, no matter how your earthly father treated you? Are you willing to come back to Him and enjoy Him as your Father? Spend some time with your Father now.
(Written by Jerry Schmoyer, 2014. You can find more of his writings at http://www.christiantrainingonline.org/. If you have questions or suggestions feel free to contact him at jerry@schmoyer.net)