Knowing God as Father
“[F]or the Father himself loves you…” (John 16:27 ESV).
Long before Chris Tomlin ever sang about a “Good, Good Father,” God was already that. A Father—good, compassionate, merciful, and true. This is who He has always been, and who He will always be. In Jesus, the Father’s goodness was made visible, tangible (John 14:9), and ultimately accessible to us all (Ephesians 2:18)—which is more than incredible. But it gets even better when we understand that the Father of Jesus is our Father too. Mind‑blowing, I know, yet this is how God longs for us to know Him: as Father. And when we really believe this, everything changes, giving us a deeper sense of worth, a greater capacity to love others, including our own fathers, and a radical inner peace knowing our Father sees us, knows us, and loves us.
What This Means
Knowing God as Father means a great deal, because it transforms the way we relate to Him, not as orphans, but as dearly loved children (Ephesians 5:1). It means we understand that we’ve been chosen, adopted (Ephesians 1:4-5), and welcomed into His forever family. It means we come to Him confidently in prayer (1 John 5:14), bringing our fears, concerns, and worries without hesitation. And it means we trust Him with everything—including our failures, regrets, suffering and unknowns—knowing He holds our best in His heart and works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
Obstacles
Yet if we’re honest, at times we all encounter mental and emotional obstacles in relating to God as Father; obstacles like guilt, shame, regret, fear, and deception. But here’s what we need to know, Jesus personally dealt with and overcame every one of these obstacles on the Cross. And now, when our Father looks at us, He sees us as clean, pure, redeemed, and whole. He sees us as beautiful and worthy. And He sees us as perfect because He sees us through His Son.
Relating to God as Father
Knowing God as Father begins with learning to relate to Him this way. Here are some practical ways to do this:
We can address God in prayer as our Father—just as Jesus taught us to do (Matthew 6:9).
We can sing to God as our Father and even envision Him singing over us (Zephaniah 3:17).
We can confess, lament, cry, laugh, and walk with God as our Father.
We can receive discipline from God as our Father, knowing it flows from His love and is always for our good (Hebrews 12:6).
And we can rest in God as our Father knowing He’s at work 24/7 (Psalm 121:4), so we can sleep peacefully.
So today let’s take some time reflecting on this truth: Our Father loves us—so much so that He sent Jesus to tell us, show us, and ultimately die for us so that we could know Him as Father. We’re not alone, on our own. Our Father is with us. Our Father is for us. And one day we will see our Father face-to-face.
Pray
Holy Father, I am so grateful to know You as a mighty God, a faithful friend, and as my Father. Thank You for loving me despite me, choosing me before I knew You, and calling me Your child—especially when I don’t act like one. I am in awe of Your constant goodness, endless mercy, and unfailing love. You truly are a Good, Good Father. It is an honor and a high privilege to know You, love You, and to be known and loved by You. Amen.
Reflect
In what specific ways does knowing God as Father fill you with confidence in prayer, hope for the future, and peace despite life’s challenges?
My friends, your thoughts matter! I’d love to hear from you. Consider sharing your responses in the comment section below!
