The Father Heart of God
(Photo by Ileana Skakun on Unsplash)
In the beginning of time, God created a man and a woman in His own image. Male and female He created them. They were both naked and felt no shame (Gen. 5:2). But after they ate the fruit from the tree that God had told them not to eat from, their eyes were opened, and they were ashamed of their nakedness. They sewed fig leaves together to cover their physical bodies, but they could not cover their sin up. When God came looking for them, Adam and Eve hid. They did not want to see Him. They did not want God to know what they had done. But God already knew. How would He respond?
God didn't come looking for Adam and Eve so He could yell at them. He didn't want to add to their shame. But neither was God going to act as if nothing had happened. He took no pleasure in what had to be done. After they confessed, God had to be God. This meant consequences for their sin, but if you look closely, you will see He still displayed His love tangibly. He made clothing for them out of animal skins. Do you see the love in that? He also banished them from the garden for their own good--God said, "They now know the difference between right and wrong, just as we do. But they must not be allowed to eat fruit from the tree that lets them live forever." (Gen. 3:22 CEV)
There are at least three things we can know about God from this story. First, He is holy and just, and sin must be punished. This is true. Second, God will never stop loving us; His heart is to be tender; and third, He will always act in ways that are for our good. Can you imagine if Adam and Eve had been left in the garden and they ate from the Tree of Life? They would have lived forever in their sinful state. What if it was passed down to us like their sin nature was? I can hardly imagine.
When Adam and Eve sinned, the relationship was broken. Sin entered the world and ruined everything. Every person born now is born with a sin nature and a broken relationship with God. Just as God came looking for Adam and Eve, God is pursuing us. His heart is to be loving and tender. He can't ignore sin, but He can and does love us no matter what. His love for us doesn't change even when fellowship is broken. His heart is to restore the relationship. It's why He sent Jesus. Jesus made it possible to have a relationship with the Father again without going through all the rules and regulations of the Old Testament. Jesus overcame sin and death at the resurrection.
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, you are still in a broken relationship with God. Your first step is to confess your sin and receive the gift that Jesus alone can offer you...eternal life and a restored relationship with God now.
If you have already done that, eternal life is yours and can't be taken away. Your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. But you know fellowship with God can still be broken through sin. That's why we have this promise: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9 NIV). When we hide from God, He will come looking for us. When we confess our sin, He will forgive and purify us which means the relationship will once again be intact.
I grew up in the church. I went to Bible College. My head was filled with knowledge about God, but I did not know His heart. I can never adequately explain the difference it made the day I encountered His love. It was always there, but I didn't know Him that way. I had eternal life because I had accepted Jesus as my Savior as a child, but I still didn't connect with Him. I didn't know Him. I am so glad He kept pursuing Me. I am so grateful for the Father's heart.
Jesus Culture: Love Has a Name ft. Kim Walker Smith
There's a space in every beating heart There's a longing that reaches past the stars There's an answer to every question mark There's a name
There's a hope flowing through these veins There's a voice that echoes through the pain There's an ember ready for the flame There's a name
We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus
There's a joy that triumphs over fear There's a laughter that wipes away all tears There's a presence that changes atmospheres There's a name
We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus
Victory has a name Victory has a name Jesus
Joy has a name Joy has a name Jesus
The name that's lifted up forever The name that shakes the earth and shakes the heavens The hope for every heart The Savior of the world Jesus, Jesus
We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus, oh
My victory has a name Victory has a name Jesus
Joy has a name Joy has a name Jesus
My hope, my hope My hope has a name Hope has a name Jesus, oh
Jesus Shout his name Shout his name Speak his name tonight No greater name No greater name
We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame Set our eyes on You, Jesus We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains We stand in You We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame Oh, we fix our eyes We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains Sing it again We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus, oh
Joy has a name Joy has a name Jesus, oh
My victory Has a name, oh Is the name of Jesus The name of Jesus, oh
Nothing can stand against Nothing can stand against Nothing can stand against, oh
Love has a name Love has a name Jesus
My joy has a name Joy has a name Jesus
Oh, my hope has a name Hope has a name It's the name of Jesus And my victory is in the warning My victory is in the wanting It's the Name above every other name Jesus, Jesus My victory is in the one name My breakthrough is in the one name My breakthrough is in the one name The name of Jesus The name of Jesus My breakthrough is in the one name One name alone That stands above it all That stand above every other name The name, the name of Jesus
Your love has a name Love has a name Jesus
Your love has a name Love has a name Jesus
We love Your name Your love has a name Love has a name Jesus
We love Your name Your love has a name Love has a name Jesus