Dad. Daddy. They’re such little words for everything that comes with them. As dads we are providers, protectors, comforters, instructors, teachers, disciplinarians, etc. We’ve got a lot of hats to wear as a parent and specifically as a dad. We as dads have something that is not often thought of. We more than often put the belief in our children of what God is like. I’m not saying that we portray God-like qualities, though we should. I’m saying how we act with them is how they will likely see God. This is simply because God is our heavenly Father, and we associate this relationship with what we are familiar with.
Children, and even adults that first come to God, put attributes of how they see their dads on God. If someone comes in that has an overbearing, uncaring, or abusive dad, it’s going to be hard for them to trust God.
Now, I am not saying that this is how it should be, but it often is. Even at our very best, we cannot perfectly display how good God is. We can do our best to display Godlike qualities, and we can teach them about God. So they understand His goodness. And that they would understand how much greater God is than we could imagine. As it says in Isaiah 55:8-9 ISV 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Even the best dads are human and will make mistakes. For those who did not have a good father figure, know that is not how God is. God is a loving Father. Let your guard down and cast away your preconceived ideas. Come to God and trust that He will take care of you.
If we have limited God by placing the shortcomings of our earthly fathers on Him, let’s recognize this and not confine Him to this.
1 John 3:1 ISV See what kind of love the Father has given us: We are called God’s children—and that is what we are! For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him, either.