Encouragement for Today

April 22, 2025 When You Need a Faithful Father LYNN COWELL Lee en español

“How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:7 (NLT)

What comes to your mind when I say the word “father”?

At one time, I would have responded with two words: “provider” and “distant.” That’s how I’d describe my dad. He was a consistent father, working hard to provide for me and my seven siblings. But working so much left him unable to be an attentive dad like I needed and maybe he wanted.

As I grew up, this concept of fatherhood transferred to how I pictured my heavenly Father. While I chose to trust Jesus as my Savior, I didn’t know God as the loving, flawless Father He is. Thankfully, scriptures like today's key verse helped me understand Him:

“How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 36:7).

The deepest love began filling the emptiness of my heart. I could see God had all the time in the world, and He had time for me. He wasn’t bothered by me, and I didn’t have to be at my best when I came to Him!

Jesus tells us that when we see Him, we also see the Father (John 14:9). In Mark 10, Jesus surrounded Himself with little children, tenderly modeling His Father’s kind, nurturing, vulnerable and present love. Sometimes children can be messy or germy with runny noses — but if these children were, Jesus wasn’t bothered. “And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:16, NIV).

Psalm 139:5 similarly says, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head” (NLT). This is the tender, compassionate and attentive love I wanted to know more deeply. Seeking out scriptures that showed this fatherly heart of God created a desire to be near Him. As I drew close, God’s fatherly love began healing my heart wounds.

Understanding the whole heart of God began filling the hole in my heart. When I saw Him not as a magnifying glass constantly looking for my wrongs but as Love Himself, it set my heart free. I saw my Abba Father (Mark 14:36) as trustworthy for my today and my future.

As you learn more about Father God and draw near to Him, you’ll find He is more kind and loving than you ever imagined. Soaking in His Scriptures can correct any misconceptions you and I may have of what a father is.

Does this mean He gives us everything we want? Not exactly. A good Father only gives what He knows is best for His child (James 1:17). He does give us unconditional love — both when we get things right and even when we sin. This is the fatherly heart of God, whose love is flowing continually toward you and me, perfect and unrestricted.

Heavenly Father, thank You for drawing me to Yourself, pulling me close to a place where my wounded heart is safe and can receive Your care and healing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Do you have a young woman in your life who needs to experience the tender, healing love of Father God? You can help her by gifting her Michelle Nietert and Lynn Cowell’s new book, releasing today: Strong and Secure: 100 Devotions for Young Women. Get your copy here!

ENGAGE

Many of us are navigating life’s ups and downs, and it can be easy to believe that God’s love depends on how well we’re doing or whether we’ve got it all together. But the truth is: God’s love for you is never based on your performance or circumstances. That’s why Lynn put together a new, free resource for you … Never Too Far: 5 Days of Trusting God’s Love for You, No Matter What. Through these devotions, you’ll learn how to trust in His love more fully and realize that you are never too far for His grace to reach you. It’s also a great resource for the young women in your life. Click here to download today!

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Romans 8:15-17, “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!’ The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him” (CSB).

What word comes to your mind when you think of the word “father”? How closely does your idea of a “father” reflect the true heart of Father God and His love for you?

What work might you and your Father do together in your heart so you have a correct image of Him? Share with us in the comments!

© 2025 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.