Loving Father

Recently my husband had a conversation with a man who is a non-believer. This man was convinced that the bible was manipulated by men, pastors are liars, and God just doesn't love everybody. My husband was desperately trying to reach him for God. The man my husband was speaking with is a father of four adult children who frustrate him. His children will not listen to sound advice from him, frequently ignore him, make mistakes constantly that the man has to bail them out of, and don't appreciate what the man does for them - yet the man continues to be loving, giving, and forgiving each time his children reach out to him.

My husband realized that was his point he needed to make. To get the man to see God as a Father who loves him despite the man not taking his advice, making mistakes, and not appreciating him. When he explained to the man that God is also a Father that will keep loving him no matter what, that will keep giving him mercy and grace, and who can forgive anything - the man had a realization, he had never thought of God like that before.

My husband simply stated, why do you think we call God Father? My husband found a crack in the hard crust around this man's heart. Not totally a new heart just yet, but light was getting through.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Mathew 7:9-11, NIV)

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. (1John 3:1, NLT)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV)

This story reminds me that we always need to relate to people, meet them where they are, and help them see the light of the love of our heavenly Father. Don't give up speaking the Good News, keeping chipping away at those hardened hearts and let the light in.