The theme of the fatherhood of God is not a uniquely New Testament perspective. Jesus certainly did ‘dial up’ this theme but it was always part of God’s self-revelation to his people from the beginning when God created man in his own image (implying fatherhood: Genesis 1:26, Cf. 5:3). In the Old Testament it is stated most explicitly in the prophetic oracles where we hear the pained father-heart of God yearning for his children. The prophets were mostly speaking to the children of God in their time of rebellion and alienation, when they were like the prodigal son squandering his inheritance on wild living (Luke 15:11ff). They express what is always the primary longing of God. It is important that we understand what it is that God desires the most. This belief will determine how you live. If you think that God primarily wants morality and service, then your failure to succeed in these areas will lead you to assume that you are no longer of any value to God. These things are of course important to God, but they are not what is most important. The most important thing to God is you. God simply wants his children to be close to him so that he can love them and be loved by them. It is the same with any parent. If I lost my children, then all I would want would be simply to have them back. And I would do anything to get them back. So it is with God. He is always calling you home.
Respond to God’s fatherly call.
Read Jeremiah 31:1-22
