Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, was once asked what he believed the greatest challenge Christ-followers faced, and he responded, “Every Christian I meet…cannot quite believe that they are loved by God.”
Do you struggle with this? I do. One of the biggest challenges I’ve had in my faith journey is recognizing and accepting the love of God the Father. I’ve never had a problem with Jesus or Holy Spirit, but I have struggled with believing the Father loves and accepts me. Can you relate? Why do we sometimes struggle with the idea of God as Father?
Sometimes the idea or image we have of God as Father is shaped by the relationship we have with our earthly father, but I had a great dad who wasn’t distant or indifferent. Sometimes the other relationships we have with the men in our lives shape our image of God. Sometimes the idea of God as Father is shaped by media; the fathers we see in movies, and TV shows cause us to subconsciously think that’s what a father is supposed to be like—sometimes good and sometimes bad. Sometimes it’s a bit of all the above that shapes our idea of God as Father, and that’s what keeps us from believing that God loves and accepts us.
Until we get past the images of God we carry, whether good, bad, conscious or subconscious and see God for who he is, we will not experience the relationship we were created for and long to have with Him. This weekend, we will explore what we mean when we say we believe God is Father almighty and why it matters today. I hope you’ll join us and discover the love, acceptance and forgiveness of the Father.
See you Sunday
Pastor Kirk
