Fathers!

John 3:16 starts by saying, "For God so loved the world...". Many people can quote this verse before any other verse in the Bible. Yet, I think we become so familiar with the verse that we miss what the verse is telling us.

God loves the whole world. That's what it says! Does He love the sinner? Yes! Does he love the prostitute, the drug pusher, the unfaithful husband or wife? The answer is yes! He loves them as much as the preacher, choir singer, and believer! You might ask, "If He is such a loving God then how could He send or let anyone go to Hell?" Without looking any further than the first part of John 3:16, let me tell you how I would answer that.

The only picture I have of my Heavenly Father, is a small, far from perfect picture I have received from my earthly father. I love my dad very much. He was and is a great father to me but he is a sinner. He loves God, but he is far from perfect. Yet my father helps me to understand God my heavenly Father. When I was a little boy my dad, like every other dad told me, "Son, stay out of the street." When I didn't listen, he would discipline me. He would spank my back side good and proper. Why? Because he loved me. Just because I would go into the street, that did not change the fact that dad loved me. Yet he disciplined me because he loved me. He didn't want me to get hit by a car and get hurt. On a greater and perfect scale, God loves us the same way. If He stopped loving us because we did something wrong then none of us could call Him "Abba" Father. Just because He loves us doesn't mean He will not discipline us. And, if we don't cry out to Christ for forgiveness, then He will punish us by giving us what we deserve. Hell! I don't fully understand His ways but I am thankful for His ways!

My father loves me no matter what. He might not agree with me on everything but he loves me. The Heavenly Father loves me no matter what! The fact is He loves me more than my earthly father could ever love me. I wish I could understand it.

All I can say is, It's a wonderful life if you know Christ!