Scripture repeatedly uses the term “father” to help us better understand vital truths about God.

Understanding God as father gives us a better vision for how God feels and acts toward his children, gives fathers a better understanding of how they can be good fathers, and it gives children an idea of what God is like when they experience a good father. Here’s a great passage to see this:

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal 4:4-6)

Here we see God sending the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts that we might connect with God in a very personal, intimate, way – “daddy!” Understanding this is how God would like us to connect with him, we can live this relationship out with our children as well. When our children connect with godly fathers they then have a vision for who God can be for them.

One of the reasons our society is degenerating is that this God-Father understanding is breaking. As the Bible is losing its prominance and authority, we no longer look to Scripture to define fatherhood. As fathers, in turn, lose this instruction and thus their ability to be good fathers, their children lose a picture of God in their lives.

The call to be godly father is big – much is at stake! Let’s purpose to pursue being godly fathers.